/sci/ - Science & Math

The first time angles were measured was around 3500 BC in ancient Sumeria (currently Iraq / Iran). Sumerians use base 60 for their arithmetic (that is, they collected in bunches of 60 rather than 10, as we are used to doing). Base 60 was also used for the measurement of angles. The equilateral triangle was fundamental in the mystical and aesthetical foundation of Sumerian architecture. As a basis for measurements one angle of an equilateral triangle was used. This angle was divided in 60 equal parts, the size of which was called one degree.

For accurate measurements the degree was subdivided into 60 parts, called minutes. One step further was taken: the minute was subdivided into 60 seconds. An angle of 45°24'20" (say: 45 degrees, 24 minutes and 20 seconds) thus measures (45 + 24/60 + 20/3600)°

>my face when Sumerians use base 60 for their arithmetic

official 1.5M GET thread

>>1426744
so they like measured your dopamine level?

btw, check this out, bro, if it wasn't posted before
http://edge.org/3rd_culture/sapolsky09/sapolsky09_index.html