Origins of Circle: Why 360°?
Hey there, curious minds! Have you ever wondered why we chop up a circle into 360 little slices? It seems like a peculiar number, doesn’t it? Well, buckle up because we’re about to embark on a fascinating journey through time to uncover the secrets behind this ancient mathematical marvel.
Mesopotamian Origins
Picture this: thousands of years ago, in the land of Mesopotamia, the Babylonians were rocking the world with their math skills. They had this nifty little number system based on 60, known as the sexagesimal system. Why 60, you ask? Well, it turns out that 60 is super handy when it comes to dividing things up into equal parts. Think about it — it’s divisible by 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 10, 12, 15, 20, 30… the list goes on!
The Sumerians, who preceded the Babylonians in Mesopotamia, also used a base-60 numeral system. It’s likely that the Babylonians inherited and further developed this system, incorporating it into their mathematical and astronomical practices.
Significance in Astronomy
Now, let’s fast forward a bit to when the ancient astronomers were gazing up at the stars, trying to make sense…
