Brian Norden Wrote:
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> hank Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Great write-up, truly enjoyed it but just a
> quick
> > note:
> > xx'' is a time in seconds (or, for backward
> > countries like the US, a distance in inches)
> > xx' is a time in minutes (or distance in feet)
> > Just to keep things straight. Meaning was
> obvious
> > here but can be confusing at times.
> > hank
>
> Yes, a great write up!
>
> In the world of surveyors, land maps and road
> plans that I live in these have a slightly
> different meaning:
> xx° is a degree (360° for a complete circle)
> xx' is a minute of a bearing or an arc - a 60th
> of a degree
> xx" is a second of a bearing or an arc - a 60th of
> a minute
>
Actually, that's the same. There being 60 minutes in an hour and 60 seconds in a minute. Also used for angular measurements (unless you use Grads or Rads.)
Blame it all on the Babylonians. They loved things with 60 since it is evenly divisible by so many numbers (2,3,4,5,6,10,12,15,20,30...)
Hank