centesimala

Centesimala is a term primarily related to measurement and division, specifically indicating division into one hundred equal parts. The most common context for centesimala is in the measurement of angles, where it refers to the centesimal system of angular measurement, also known as the gradian system. In this system, a full circle is divided into 400 gradians, meaning each gradian is 1/400th of a circle. This contrasts with the more widely used sexagesimal system, which divides a circle into 360 degrees.

Within the centesimal system, a right angle is equal to 100 gradians. This system offers a simpler decimal-based relationship for calculations involving angles, especially when compared to the sexagesimal system's base-60 divisions. While less prevalent than degrees, gradians are still used in some fields, such as surveying and certain branches of mathematics and astronomy, due to their convenient decimal nature. The term centesimala itself derives from the Latin word "centesimus," meaning "hundredth."