Degrees to Circles Converter

What Is a Degree?

A degree is a measure of angle equal to 1/360th of a revolution, or circle.^[1] The number 360 has 24 divisors, making it a fairly easy number to work with. There are also 360 days in the Persian calendar year, and many theorize that early astronomers used 1 degree per day.

The degree is an SI accepted unit for angle for use with the metric system. A degree is sometimes also referred to as a degree of arc, arc degree, or arcdegree. Degrees can be abbreviated as °, and are also sometimes abbreviated as deg. For example, 1 degree can be written as 1° or 1 deg.

Degrees can also be expressed using arcminutes and arcseconds as an alternative to using the decimal form. Arcminutes and arcseconds are expressed using the prime (′) and double-prime (″) characters, respectively, although a single-quote and double-quote are often used for convenience.

One arcminute is equal to 1/60th of a degree, and one arcsecond is equal to 1/60th of an arcminute.

Protractors are commonly used to measure angles in degrees. They are semi-circle or full-circle devices with degree markings allowing a user to measure an angle in degrees. Learn more about how to use a protractor or download a printable protractor.

Learn more about degrees.

What Is a Circle?

A circle is the equivalent of 1 revolution around a circle, or 360°.

A circle is sometimes also referred to as a revolution. Circles can be abbreviated as cir; for example, 1 circle can be written as 1 cir.

A circle is more commonly used to describe a round, symmetrical shape with no corners or edges than it is to describe plane angle. The shape is described by its radius and circumference.

Learn more about circles.