Why does a circle measure 360 degrees in math?

Question

why really did they call it degree and what r they

Answer 1

Because of the Babylonian's.

Answer 2

Firstly you mean mathematics NOT math (I'm British and would normally abreviate mathematics to maths)

Secondly 360 is divisible by 12 - used on clock-faces everywhere.

Thirdly, a continental attempt to metrify the circle to 400 degrees, with a right angle having 100 failed abysmally.

Fourthly, for the purposes of navigation a nautical mile is 1/60 of the distance covered by 1 degree when measured at the equator.

Fifthly, a degree probably evolved from the persian calendar which had 360 days to the year.

Answer 3

The 360 degrees comes from the fact that Babylonians were big on powers of 6 and powers of 10. Babylonian astronomers figured that the year consisted of 360 days (they were of just a bit ;) So, a circular calendar would have 360 degrees, one for each day.

Answer 4

It is a convenient definition; one could have chosen any number. This particular number dates back to the ancient Babylonians, who thought (incorrectly) that there were 360 days in a year. Similar, the term "degree" is adapted from Latin or Greek (not sure which), and the name is a matter of convenience.

Answer 5

This is like asking why 1+1 = 2.....

It's just that this is the standards we're using. If you divide a circle into 360 equal pies, each pie is a one degree. And this is what this is.

Answer 6

360 degrees is just a convention that is used for equally dividing up a circle. There are other methods of dividing up a circle as well (quadrants, radians, grads) which each have their own uses, but degrees is the most common and easiest understood.

Answer 7

its just a measurement. Unless you become a genius mathemetician, you can't change it.