Definition:Time/Unit/Minute

Definition

The minute is a derived unit of time.

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\(\ds 1\)

minute

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\(=\)

\(\ds 60\)

seconds

Symbol

The symbol for the minute is $\mathrm {min}$.

Historical Note

The division of the hour into $60$ subdivisions originated some undecidable time in the Middle Ages, using the same sexagesimal (base $60$) system that was used to subdivide degrees of angle.

These systems of division of time and angle are the last system of measurements which have not been decimalised.

Linguistic Note

The word minute, in the context of the measurement both of time and of angle, derives from its initial definition as a minute part of an hour or of a degree of angle.

In this context the word minute (meaning: the aggregation of $60$ seconds) is pronounced min-it.

The word minute (as used in the phrase minute part) is pronounced my-nyoot and means small.

So the fact that the two words are spelt identically is not a coincidence.

Sources

• 1986: David Wells: Curious and Interesting Numbers ... (previous) ... (next): $60$
• 1997: David Wells: Curious and Interesting Numbers (2nd ed.) ... (previous) ... (next): $60$
• 1998: David Nelson: The Penguin Dictionary of Mathematics (2nd ed.) ... (previous) ... (next): minute: 2.
• 2008: David Nelson: The Penguin Dictionary of Mathematics (4th ed.) ... (previous) ... (next): minute: 2.