Note 29 — PART II A COUPLE OF CENTURIES' PROGRESS. (continued 2)

It may be supposed that the terms "minute" and "second" have some necessary connection with time, but they are mere abbreviations for partes minutæ and partes minutæ secundæ, and consequently may be applied to the subdivision of degrees just as properly as to the subdivision of hours. A "second" of arc means the 3600th part of a degree, just as a second of time means the 3600th part of an hour.