Arc Seconds to Degrees

Wouldn't you know it. I thought that I was just dim-witted or the people who were writing the SEG-Y were completely zonked - but there is a reason behind putting X/Y data in arc seconds. For a long time, every once in a while you'll come across SEG-Y byte location 98 and it'll have a 2 there (meaning the coordinates are in Arc Seconds. I'm scratching my head saying - who on earth, why on earth? Okay, here's the rhyme - not sure of the reason.

Arc Seconds = 3599.99999712 * degree
while
Degree = 0.0002778 * arc seconds

go figure. I got this all from here.

Grazie