A degree of a circle is the 1/360 part of its circumference. The whole circumference is supposed to be divided into 360 equal divisions, which are called the degrees of a circle; but, as one-half of the circle is simply a repetition of the other half, it is not necessary for mechanical purposes to deal with more than one-half, as is done in Figure 56. As the whole circle contains 360 degrees, half of it will contain one-half of that number, or 180; a quarter will contain 90, and an eighth will contain 45 degrees. In the protractors (as the instruments having the degrees of a circle marked on them are termed) made for sale the edges of the half-circle are marked off into degrees and half-degrees; but it is sufficient for the purpose of this explanation to divide off one quarter by lines 10 degrees apart, and the other by lines 5 degrees apart. The diameter of the circle obviously makes no difference in the number of decrees contained in any portion of it. Thus, in the quarter from 0 to 90, there are 90 degrees, as marked; but suppose the diameter of the circle were that of inner circle d, and one-quarter of it would still contain 90 degrees.

Fig. 56.

So, likewise, the degrees of one line to another are not always taken from one point, as from the point O, but from any one line to another. Thus the line marked 120 is 60 degrees from line 180, or line 90 is 60 degrees from line 150. Similarly in the other quarter of the circle 60 degrees are marked. This may be explained further by stating that the point O or zero may be situated at the point from which the degrees of angle are to be taken. Here it may be remarked that, to save writing the word "degrees," it is usual to place on the right and above the figures a small °, as is done in Figure 56, the 60° meaning sixty degrees, the °, of course, standing for degrees.

Fig. 57.

Suppose, then, we are given two lines, as a and b in Figure 57, and are required to find their angle one to the other. Then, if we have a protractor, we may apply it to the lines and see how many degrees of angle they contain. This word "contain" means how many degrees of angle there are between the lines, which, in the absence of a protractor, we may find by prolonging the lines until they meet in a point as at c. From this point as a centre we draw a circle D, passing through both lines a, b. All we now have to do is to find what part, or how much of the circumference, of the circle is enclosed within the two lines. In the example we find it is the one-twelfth part; hence the lines are 30 degrees apart, for, as the whole circle contains 360, then one-twelfth must contain 30, because 360÷12 = 30.

Fig. 58.

If we have three lines, as lines A B and C in Figure 58, we may find their angles one to the other by projecting or prolonging the lines until they meet as at points D, E, and F, and use these points as the centres wherefrom to mark circles as G, H, and I. Then, from circle H, we may, by dividing it, obtain the angle of A to B or of B to A. By dividing circle I we may obtain the angle of A to C or of C to A, and by dividing circle G we may obtain the angle of B to C or of C to B.

Fig. 59.

Fig. 60.

It may happen, and, indeed, generally will do so, that the first attempt will not succeed, because the distance between the lines measured, or the arc of the circle, will not divide the circle without having the last division either too long or too short, in which case the circle may be divided as follows: The compasses set to its radius, or half its diameter, will divide the circle into 6 equal divisions, and each of these divisions will contain 60 degrees of angle, because 360 (the number of degrees in the whole circle) ÷6 (the number of divisions) = 60, the number of degrees in each division. We may, therefore, subdivide as many of the divisions as are necessary for the two lines whose degrees of angle are to be found. Thus, in Figure 59, are two lines, C, D, and it is required to find their angle one to the other. The circle is divided into six divisions, marked respectively from 1 to 6, the division being made from the intersection of line C with the circle. As both lines fall within less than a division, we subdivide that division as by arcs a, b, which divide it into three equal divisions, of which the lines occupy one division. Hence, it is clear that they are at an angle of 20 degrees, because twenty is one-third of sixty. When the number of degrees of angle between two lines is less than 90, the lines are said to form an acute angle one to the other, but when they are at more than 90 degrees of angle they are said to form an obtuse angle. Thus, in Figure 60, A and C are at an acute angle, while B and C are at an obtuse angle. F and G form an acute angle one to the other, as also do G and B, while H and A are at an obtuse angle. Between I and J there are 90 degrees of angle; hence they form neither an acute nor an obtuse angle, but what is termed a right-angle, or an angle of 90 degrees. E and B are at an obtuse angle. Thus it will be perceived that it is the amount of inclination of one line to another that determines its angle, irrespective of the positions of the lines, with respect to the circle.