Pre-Cal 40S: Why are there 360 degrees in a circle?

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Monday, February 07, 2005

Why are there 360 degrees in a circle?

Hmm....why are there 360° in a circle? Is there something special about the number 360?

Well, as you heard in class today I've got some ideas about why this is so. I think it harks back (I love that turn of phrase -- it's so colloquial) ;-) to the ancient Summerians. Dr. Math seems to share my point of view and he gives an excellent explanation of what we were discussing in class today. It seems that the radian really is the most "natural" way to measure angles in a circle. Then again, if that were so, how many fingers would we have?

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