Degree (angle)
Degree (angle)
A degree (symbol: °) is a unit of measurement used to quantify rotation or angles. It is one of the oldest units of measurement for angles, dating back to the ancient civilizations of the Sumerians and Babylonians.
Pronunciation
/dɪˈɡriː/
Etymology
The term "degree" comes from the Latin word degradus, which means a step. It was first used in the context of angles by the ancient Romans who divided a circle into 360 steps or "degrees".
Definition
A degree is defined as 1/360th of a full circle. In other words, when a full circle is divided into 360 equal parts, each part is known as a degree.
Related Terms
- Radian: Another unit of measurement for angles, where one radian is the angle subtended at the center of a circle by an arc that is equal in length to the radius of the circle.
- Minute of arc: A unit of angular measurement which is equal to 1/60 of one degree.
- Second of arc: A unit of angular measurement which is equal to 1/60 of a minute of arc, or 1/3600 of a degree.
Usage in Various Fields
Degrees are used in various fields such as Mathematics, Physics, Engineering, Geography, and Astronomy to measure angles, rotations, and geographic coordinates.
See Also
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Degree (angle)
- Wikipedia's article - Degree (angle)
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