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Section

A section is a distinct part or division of a larger whole, typically created by cutting, separating, or delineating, and it encompasses a wide array of applications across disciplines such as geometry, literature, land measurement, biology, and music.^[1] In its most general sense, the term refers to a portion set off from something larger, as in a segment of an orange or a chapter in a book, emphasizing separation by incision or conceptual boundary.^[1] Mathematically, a section describes the profile or plane figure resulting from intersecting a solid object with a plane, fundamental to fields like geometry and engineering for visualizing internal structures.^[1] In land surveying, particularly in the U.S. Public Land Survey System, a section denotes a one-square-mile parcel, one of 36 subdivisions within a township, crucial for property delineation.^[1] Biologically, it can mean a thin slice of tissue prepared for microscopic analysis, aiding in medical and scientific examination.^[1] Additionally, in music and orchestras, a section comprises instruments of the same type, such as the string section, organizing ensemble performance.^[1] These usages highlight the term's versatility, rooted in the Latin sectio meaning "a cutting," and its evolution into specialized meanings that reflect human efforts to partition and analyze complex wholes.^[1] While common in everyday language, "section" often carries precise connotations in technical contexts, influencing everything from legal documents—where it structures statutes—to other fields.^[1]

General Uses

As a Division or Part

A section denotes a distinct part or portion separated from a larger whole, often through a process of division or cutting. This fundamental concept underlies many uses of the term, emphasizing uniformity or deliberate partitioning within diverse entities. The word originates from the Latin sectio, meaning "a cutting" or "division," derived from the verb secare, "to cut," entering English in the 16th century via Old French.^[2]^[1] In contrast to broader terms like "part," which may simply indicate any component without implying separation, or "segment," typically reserved for linear or sequential subdivisions, "section" specifically suggests an intentional act of cutting or isolating to form a cohesive, identifiable unit. This distinction highlights sections as more structured divisions, applicable where precision in demarcation is essential, such as in physical separations or organized groupings. For example, while a "part" of a fruit might vaguely refer to any piece, a "section" precisely means a wedge cut from an orange.^[1]^[3] Everyday applications of "section" as a division abound in physical and social contexts. A section of a road commonly refers to a maintained segment, as seen in Adopt-a-Highway programs where volunteers or organizations commit to cleaning specific lengths of highways to reduce litter and enhance safety. Similarly, buildings often feature sections like the residential or commercial portions of a complex, delineating functional zones within the structure. In gatherings, a section of a crowd might describe a segregated group, such as the standing section in a stadium where spectators are organized by type or access level.^[4]^[1]^[3] Historically, the term has named formal divisions in diplomatic efforts, providing a concrete example of its use in structured negotiations. At the 1927 Geneva Naval Conference, aimed at extending arms limitations from the 1922 Washington Treaty, Section 5 of the draft agreement addressed cruiser categories, and the overall draft proposed combined tonnage limits for cruisers, destroyers, and submarines of 590,000 tons for the British Empire and the United States, though the conference ultimately failed to produce a binding treaty.^[5]^[6]

In Documents and Publishing

In documents and publishing, a section serves as a major subdivision within larger textual structures, such as chapters in books or articles in periodicals, positioning it between paragraphs and broader parts like chapters or volumes. According to the Chicago Manual of Style, sections organize content thematically within a chapter, often introduced by subheadings to facilitate readability and logical flow in non-fiction works, while fiction may use them less formally for scene breaks. For example, in academic or technical books, sections break down complex topics into manageable units, such as "Section 2.1: Historical Context" within a chapter on methodology. In periodicals like newspapers and magazines, sections denote distinct content areas, such as the "Sports Section" or "Business Section," which group related articles and are physically separated by pagination or tabs for user navigation.^[7] In legal and statutory documents, sections are numbered divisions that form the granular units of laws, codes, and constitutions, enabling precise reference and amendment. For instance, Section 1 of Article I in the U.S. Constitution establishes the legislative powers of Congress and is cited as "U.S. Const. art. I, § 1." Statutory sections, such as those in the United States Code, are amended through public laws that specify changes to particular sections, like "42 U.S.C. § 1983 (as amended by Pub. L. 104-317)," ensuring traceability in evolving legal frameworks.^[8] This structure supports citation practices outlined in guides like The Bluebook, where sections are referenced with symbols (§) and numbers to pinpoint provisions without ambiguity.^[8] Administrative forms, reports, and surveys employ sections as labeled compartments to guide data entry and organization, enhancing clarity and compliance in bureaucratic processes. In government surveys, such as those from the U.S. Census Bureau, forms are divided into sections by subject matter—for example, company information in Section 1 and R&D costs in Section 2—to streamline respondent completion and analysis.^[9] Similarly, statistical survey guidelines from agencies like SAMHSA recommend sectioning reports into parts like data collection and analysis to maintain methodological rigor and facilitate review.^[10] This approach ensures that complex documents remain user-friendly, with sections often numbered or titled for quick reference in professional or regulatory contexts.

Arts, Entertainment, and Media

Music and Performing Arts

In music, a section refers to distinct groupings of instruments or structured divisions within a composition that contribute to the overall texture, balance, and narrative flow. These elements are fundamental in orchestral, band, and ensemble settings, where sections interact to create harmonic depth and dynamic contrast. Similarly, in performing arts like theater and dance, sections denote spatial or performative divisions that facilitate coordination and visual storytelling.^[11] Symphony orchestras and concert bands are typically organized into four primary instrumental sections: strings, woodwinds, brass, and percussion. The string section, comprising violins, violas, cellos, and double basses, forms the largest and most versatile group, providing melodic lines, harmonic foundation, and rhythmic drive through techniques like bowing and pizzicato.^[12] Woodwinds, including flutes, oboes, clarinets, and bassoons, add expressive timbres and agile solos, often evoking pastoral or lyrical qualities in ensemble passages.^[11] The brass section—featuring trumpets, horns, trombones, and tubas—delivers bold fanfares and powerful climaxes, enhancing dramatic intensity.^[13] Percussion instruments, such as timpani, cymbals, and snare drums, supply rhythmic punctuation, accents, and coloristic effects that underpin the ensemble's pulse.^[14] In symphonic works, composers leverage these sections to achieve orchestral balance and innovation, as exemplified in Ludwig van Beethoven's symphonies. Beethoven expanded sectional roles by integrating additional instruments, such as piccolos in Symphonies Nos. 5, 6, and 9, and contrabassoons in Nos. 5 and 9, to heighten expressive range and sectional interplay.^[15] His orchestration in Symphony No. 9 divides the ensemble into layered sections for choral integration, with strings supporting vocal lines, woodwinds providing transitional colors, and brass amplifying triumphant motifs in the "Ode to Joy" finale.^[16] Compositional sections structure musical pieces as repeated or contrasting passages, enabling development and emotional arc. In popular music, the verse-chorus form alternates narrative verses—advancing lyrics and subtle melodic variation—with a recurring chorus that delivers the song's hook and thematic peak, as seen in countless hits from the rock and pop genres.^[17] Classical music employs forms like ternary (ABA), where the A section introduces a theme, the B section offers contrast through key change or mood shift, and the A returns for resolution, evident in minuet movements of symphonies by Haydn and Mozart.^[18] These sectional divisions allow composers to build tension and release, mirroring dramatic progression without rigid repetition. In theater, stage sections include the wings—flanking areas hidden from the audience on either side of the proscenium—used for actor entrances, exits, and quick prop changes to maintain seamless performance flow.^[19] Dance choreography often divides performers into spatial sections or formations, such as front-and-back lines or left-right groupings, to create visual depth and synchronized patterns; for instance, in group routines, subgroups alternate movements to emphasize rhythm and unity.^[20]

Literature, Film, and Visual Media

In literature, sections serve as structural divisions within novels and short stories, organizing plot segments to manage narrative complexity and enhance pacing. Authors use them to demarcate shifts in perspective, time periods, or thematic elements, allowing readers to navigate multipart stories more effectively. For example, sections can outline distinct arcs in expansive narratives, such as a protagonist's journey through different phases of conflict or revelation, without relying solely on chapters. This approach provides flexibility in storytelling, as seen in works where unnamed or numbered sections build tension across interconnected vignettes.^[21] In film scripts, sections function as broader narrative units beyond individual scenes, aligning with act structures to propel the plot from introduction to resolution. These divisions ensure logical progression, with early sections establishing characters and stakes, mid-sections escalating confrontations, and final sections delivering climaxes and denouements. A notable titled example is the 2022 action thriller Section 8, directed by Christian Sesma, where the titular "Section 8" denotes a covert government agency. The film follows Jake Atherton (played by Ryan Kwanten), a former soldier imprisoned for avenging the murder of his wife and child, who is recruited by the agency for off-the-books operations, revealing layers of corruption and moral ambiguity.^[22] Visual media extends the concept of sections to sequential formats like comics and animation. In comic books, narrative structure relies on panels as fundamental sections—discrete visual blocks that combine images and text to advance the story—grouped into tiers or strips for horizontal flow, creating rhythm and emphasis in action or dialogue. This modular design allows creators to layer temporal depth, with varying panel sizes signaling pace changes, as in dynamic sequences of superhero battles or introspective moments. Similarly, animation storyboards divide the narrative into sectional frames, each detailing shots, movements, and transitions to blueprint the production. These sections facilitate collaboration among directors, animators, and artists, ensuring visual coherence from concept to final render.^[23]^[24] Conceptual photography and installations also incorporate "section" as both a structural and thematic element. Marcel Broodthaers' 1970–71 work Museum of Modern Art, Department of Eagles, Financial Section is a seminal piece in this vein, parodying museum bureaucracy through a faux departmental display of eagle imagery and mock financial ledgers. By framing the installation as a specialized "section," Broodthaers critiques the commodification of art, blending sculpture, text, and photography to question institutional authority and economic underpinnings of culture.^[25]

Organizations

The Section Française de l'Internationale Ouvrière (SFIO), founded in 1905 through the merger of the Marxist Parti Socialiste de France led by Jules Guesde and the more moderate Parti Socialiste Français led by Jean Jaurès, served as the French affiliate of the Second International and became the primary socialist political party in France until the late 1960s.^[26]^[27] This unification occurred at the Congress of Unity in Paris, aiming to consolidate fragmented socialist movements into a single entity focused on workers' rights, anti-militarism, and international solidarity.^[28] The SFIO played a pivotal role in French politics, influencing labor reforms and participating in governments during the interwar period and post-World War II reconstruction, while maintaining its commitment to democratic socialism.^[29] In the realm of social welfare, the U.S. Section 8 housing program, established under Section 8 of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974 and administered by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), provides rental subsidies to low-income families to promote access to affordable housing in the private market.^[30]^[31] Originally designed as both project-based assistance for specific developments and tenant-based vouchers allowing portability, the program shifted emphasis toward the latter by the 1980s to enhance housing choice and reduce concentration in public housing.^[30] As of fiscal year 2024, it supports approximately 2.3 million households through Housing Choice Vouchers, with eligibility tied to income levels at or below 50% of the area median.^[32] Activist networks often organize into country-specific sections, as exemplified by Amnesty International's structure, which comprises more than 60 nationally organized sections (as of 2025) that coordinate human rights campaigns and advocacy efforts within their respective territories.^[33] These sections, governed democratically under the International Executive Committee and supported by the London-based International Secretariat, mobilize local activists for actions such as letter-writing, protests, and lobbying on issues like torture prevention and refugee rights, while collaborating with thousands of affiliated groups worldwide.^[34] These structures facilitate grassroots activism, ensuring global coherence in Amnesty's mission to defend human rights through independent research and urgent interventions.^[34]

Professional and Scientific Organizations

The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), founded in 1848, organizes its activities through 24 disciplinary sections that facilitate cross-disciplinary collaboration and expertise in scientific fields.^[35] These sections, such as Section D on Astronomy, represent specific areas of science and contribute to the AAAS's mission by nominating fellows, reviewing symposia, and advising on policy.^[35] Early organizational documents, including the 1874 constitution, grouped disciplines like astronomy under broader sections, reflecting the evolving structure of scientific societies in the 19th century.^[36] Professional engineering bodies, such as the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) in the United Kingdom, established in 1818, have long incorporated specialized subgroups to address technical subfields.^[37] The ICE administers 22 Specialist Knowledge Societies, formed over time to foster knowledge exchange among engineers in areas like railways and environmental management; for instance, the Railway Civil Engineers Association, one such society, was founded in 1921.^[38] These groups support professional development, standards-setting, and innovation within civil engineering, building on the institution's foundational role as the world's first professional engineering body.^[37] International organizations like the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), established in 1945, structure their programs into five major sectors, including Education and Culture, which are subdivided into divisions and sections for targeted implementation.^[39] Within the Education Sector, divisions such as Policies and Lifelong Learning Systems encompass sections focused on policy studies and health education, promoting global collaboration on educational equity and sustainable development.^[40] Similarly, the Culture Sector includes divisions like Cultural Policies and Intercultural Dialogue, with sections on history and culture that advance heritage preservation and intercultural understanding through normative instruments and programs.^[41] These sections enable UNESCO to coordinate international efforts in fostering peace via education and cultural exchange.^[42]

Science, Technology, and Mathematics

Mathematics

In mathematics, conic sections are curves obtained by intersecting a plane with a right circular cone or double cone. The general equation of a conic section in the plane is given by

ax^2 + bxy + cy^2 + dx + ey + f = 0,

where a, b, c, d, e, f are real coefficients, and not all of a, b, c are zero.^[43] The type of conic is determined by the discriminant b^2 - 4ac: if b^2 - 4ac < 0, the conic is an ellipse (or a circle if it is non-degenerate and the coefficients satisfy certain conditions); if b^2 - 4ac = 0, it is a parabola; and if b^2 - 4ac > 0, it is a hyperbola.^[43] These curves were systematically studied by the ancient Greek mathematician Apollonius of Perga in the 3rd century BCE, who developed their properties in his eight-volume treatise Conics, introducing the terms "ellipse," "parabola," and "hyperbola" and providing rigorous geometric proofs.^[44] The section formula in coordinate geometry determines the coordinates of a point that divides the line segment joining two given points (x_1, y_1) and (x_2, y_2) in a specified ratio m:n. For internal division, the coordinates of the point are

\left( \frac{mx_2 + nx_1}{m+n}, \frac{my_2 + ny_1}{m+n} \right).

^[45] For external division, the formula adjusts for the point lying outside the segment:

\left( \frac{mx_2 - nx_1}{m-n}, \frac{my_2 - ny_1}{m-n} \right).

^[45] A special case is the midpoint formula, where m:n = 1:1, yielding \left( \frac{x_1 + x_2}{2}, \frac{y_1 + y_2}{2} \right), which is fundamental in vector geometry and proofs of properties like the centroid of a triangle.^[45] Plane sections refer to the intersections of a plane with three-dimensional solids, producing two-dimensional figures such as polygons, circles, or conics depending on the solid and plane orientation. For instance, sections of a sphere yield circles, while those of a cylinder can produce ellipses or rectangles.^[46] A notable example is the golden section, or golden ratio \phi = \frac{1 + \sqrt{5}}{2} \approx 1.618, which divides a line segment such that the ratio of the whole to the longer part equals the ratio of the longer to the shorter part; this irrational number arises in geometric constructions and has applications in analyzing proportions in plane figures.^[47]

Physical Sciences and Engineering

In particle and nuclear physics, the cross-section serves as a key parameter quantifying the likelihood of interactions between elementary particles or atomic nuclei, interpreted as an effective target area perpendicular to the beam direction. This measure is essential for predicting reaction rates in high-energy collisions, such as those in accelerators or cosmic ray studies. Cross-sections are typically expressed in barns, where 1 barn equals $10^{-28} m², a unit selected to reflect the approximate scale of nuclear interaction areas, which are on the order of femtometers.^[48] The Rutherford scattering experiment exemplifies this concept, where alpha particles deflected by gold foil nuclei demonstrated the existence of a dense atomic core. In the classical hard-sphere model of scattering, the total cross-section is calculated as \sigma = \frac{\pi d^2}{4}, with d representing the sum of the particle diameters, providing a geometric probability for collision events. This formula underpins analyses of nuclear reactions, including fission and fusion processes, where measured cross-sections guide reactor design and astrophysical modeling.^[49]^[50] In structural engineering, the cross-section of beams and columns is analyzed to assess load-bearing capacity, focusing on geometric properties that influence stress distribution. The moment of inertia, or second moment of area, captures how the cross-sectional material is distributed relative to the bending axis, directly affecting beam stiffness and deflection. For a solid rectangular cross-section of width b and height h, the moment of inertia about the horizontal centroidal axis is \ I = \frac{b h^3}{12}, a value used in Euler-Bernoulli beam theory to compute maximum stresses under transverse loading. This property is fundamental in civil and mechanical engineering for designing bridges, frames, and machinery components.^[51]^[52] Optical sectioning techniques in microscopy and radar engineering enable non-destructive imaging of internal structures by isolating thin planar views. In confocal microscopy, a pinhole aperture blocks out-of-focus light, yielding axial resolution on the order of 0.5–1 μm, which allows volumetric reconstruction of transparent or fluorescent samples like crystals or polymers without mechanical slicing. This method, pioneered in the late 20th century, enhances contrast and depth penetration in physical sample analysis.^[53]^[54] In radar systems, the radar cross-section (RCS) quantifies an object's electromagnetic scattering efficiency, defined as the ratio of scattered to incident power density times $4\pi r^2, where r is the distance from target to receiver. RCS values, often ranging from square meters for aircraft to square centimeters for stealth designs, inform detectability in applications like air traffic control and defense, with shapes like spheres yielding isotropic scattering for calibration.^[55]^[56]

Life Sciences and Medicine

In biological classification, particularly within botany, a section (Latin: sectio) serves as an infrageneric taxonomic rank positioned between the genus and species levels, used to group related species sharing morphological or phylogenetic similarities.^[57] This rank facilitates finer organization within genera that encompass numerous species, adhering to the International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi, and plants (ICN). For instance, in the genus Rosa (roses), Section Gallicanae includes species like Rosa gallica, characterized by their gallic acid content and historical cultivation in Europe.^[58] Such sections aid in evolutionary studies and conservation efforts by highlighting clusters of taxa with shared traits, such as floral structure or habitat preferences.^[59] In histology, a branch of biology and medicine focused on microscopic tissue structure, sections refer to ultra-thin slices of biological specimens prepared for examination under a light or electron microscope. These sections are typically obtained by embedding tissues in paraffin wax, freezing them, or using vibratomes for fresh samples, followed by slicing with a microtome to achieve thicknesses of 5-10 micrometers (μm) for routine light microscopy, ensuring optimal resolution without excessive overlap of cellular details.^[60] Paraffin-embedded sections, the most common method, involve dehydration, infiltration, and mounting on slides for staining with agents like hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) to visualize cellular architecture, aiding diagnoses in pathology.^[61] For electron microscopy, sections are even thinner, at 50-100 nanometers, to penetrate electron beams and reveal ultrastructural features like organelles. This technique is foundational in medical research and diagnostics, enabling the study of diseases at the tissue level.^[60] In medicine, a section often denotes a Caesarean section (C-section), a surgical procedure involving an incision through the abdominal wall and uterus to deliver a baby, typically performed when vaginal birth poses risks to mother or child. Globally, C-section rates have risen from approximately 7% in 1990 to 21% as of 2021, with projections estimating a rise to 28.5% by 2030, particularly in regions like Latin America and East Asia where rates exceed 40%.^[62]^[63] The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends maintaining rates around 10% to balance benefits against risks such as infection, hemorrhage, and future pregnancy complications, though overuse in low-risk cases contributes to unnecessary interventions.^[64] This procedure, first systematically described in modern obstetrics in the 19th century, accounted for approximately 1.2 million births in the United States as of 2024, underscoring its role in maternal-fetal medicine.^[65]

Surveying and Land Management

Land Division and Surveying

In ancient Rome, land surveyors known as agrimensores employed centuriation, a systematic method of dividing conquered territories into a grid of square units called centuriae, each approximately 710 meters on each side and covering about 50 hectares.^[66] This orthogonal layout, oriented along cardinal directions with principal axes called the cardo maximus (north-south) and decumanus maximus (east-west), facilitated equitable distribution of arable land among settlers, veterans, and the state, often in colonial foundations or ager publicus allocations.^[66] Centuriation's enduring geometric patterns remain visible in modern European landscapes, underscoring its role in establishing property boundaries and agricultural organization.^[66] During the colonial period in North America, European powers and early settlers used varied surveying practices for land grants, often dividing territories into irregular sections based on natural features or proprietary allotments rather than uniform grids.^[67] Systems like Virginia's headright grants awarded fixed acreages—typically 50 acres per person transported—recorded through metes-and-bounds descriptions tied to landmarks, while larger colonial divisions in areas like the Carolinas or New York sometimes employed rudimentary sectional lots for townships or manors.^[68] These pre-federal methods, influenced by English common law and feudal traditions, frequently led to boundary disputes due to inconsistent measurements, setting the stage for more standardized approaches post-independence.^[69] The U.S. Public Land Survey System (PLSS), formalized by the Land Ordinance of 1785, introduced a rectangular grid to systematically divide western public domain lands, replacing colonial irregularities with townships measuring six miles square and containing 36 sections.^[70] Each section within a township spans one square mile, encompassing 640 acres, and is numbered from 1 to 36 starting in the northeast corner in a boustrophedon pattern.^[71] Enacted by the Continental Congress to promote orderly settlement and revenue from land sales, the PLSS originated surveys from principal meridians and baselines, enabling precise location via township (north or south of baseline), range (east or west of meridian), and section identifiers.^[72] This framework has surveyed approximately 1.5 billion acres across 30 public land states, forming the basis for most rural property titles in the contiguous U.S.^[67] Legal descriptions under the PLSS employ aliquot parts to subdivide sections into fractional ownerships, using terms like "quarter" (160 acres) or "half" (320 acres) denoted by compass directions, such as the NE¼ of Section 5, Township 2 North, Range 3 East.^[73] These aliquot designations, limited to no more than four levels for clarity (e.g., the SW¼ of the NW¼ of the SE¼), ensure unambiguous deeds by halving areas sequentially from the whole section.^[74] Governed by federal standards from the Bureau of Land Management, such descriptions integrate with cadastral records to resolve titles, with exceptions for irregular lots due to meander lines or prior grants.^[75] This system supports modern applications like taxation and development while preserving the ordinance's geometric precision.^[76]

Mapping and Geospatial Sections

In cartography, a section refers to a delimited portion of a map or chart designed to facilitate navigation, analysis, or representation of geographic features within a larger spatial framework. These divisions enable users to focus on specific areas, such as terrain contours or coastal routes, while maintaining scalability and accuracy across broader atlases or datasets. USGS quadrangle sections, for instance, form the foundational grid for topographic mapping in the United States, where the country is subdivided into four-sided areas bounded by lines of latitude and longitude.^[77] The most common USGS sections are the 7.5-minute quadrangles, each covering approximately 6.5 by 8.5 miles at a 1:24,000 scale, providing detailed relief through contour lines and symbols for natural and cultural features. These sections support applications like environmental monitoring and resource management by allowing seamless integration into larger map series. Similarly, sectional aeronautical charts divide airspace into navigable segments for visual flight rules (VFR) pilots, typically at a 1:500,000 scale and covering about 346 by 283 nautical miles. Produced by the Federal Aviation Administration, these charts emphasize topographic relief, obstacles, and airspace boundaries to aid low-altitude navigation in slow- to medium-speed aircraft.^[78]^[79] In geospatial data management, sections within GIS layers represent partitioned datasets that model terrain elevation or urban features for analytical purposes. Terrain sections, derived from digital elevation models (DEMs), divide landscapes into grid-based tiles to capture variations in slope, aspect, and hydrology, enabling simulations for flood risk or site suitability in urban planning. For example, these sectional layers allow planners to assess how elevation gradients influence infrastructure placement, such as road alignments or building foundations, by isolating data into manageable spatial units. Urban planning sections extend this to layered representations of land use and zoning, where terrain data overlays demographic or infrastructural elements to support decision-making on sustainable development.^[80]^[81] Historically, map sections evolved from practical navigational needs, as seen in medieval portolan charts, which divided the Mediterranean and Black Sea into rhumb-line sectors for coastal sailing. These charts, emerging in the late 13th century, used wind roses to segment routes into 32 or 16 directional parts, providing accurate toponymy and scale for trade voyages without relying on latitude-longitude grids. In modern topographic sheets, sections continue this tradition through standardized quadrangle formats, where sheets like the USGS US Topo series replicate historical detail with updated geospatial accuracy for contemporary uses such as hiking or disaster response. While these cartographic sections sometimes align with legal land divisions for boundary delineation, their primary role remains representational and analytical.^[82]^[83]

Other Specialized Uses

Military and Tactical

In military organization, a section denotes a small tactical subunit, often the smallest maneuver element in infantry formations, typically consisting of 8 to 12 soldiers led by a sergeant or equivalent non-commissioned officer. This structure facilitates close coordination, rapid decision-making, and execution of basic combat tasks such as patrolling, securing objectives, or providing suppressive fire. In the U.S. Army infantry, the comparable unit is the squad, comprising about 9 soldiers under a staff sergeant, which operates as the primary building block for platoon-level tactics, emphasizing fire and maneuver principles.^[84]^[85] Tactical sections play a critical role in operational contexts, including fire team integrations within larger squads and specialized support roles. In infantry operations, a section may incorporate two fire teams of 4 soldiers each, enabling distributed firepower and bounding overwatch techniques during assaults. Artillery sections, by contrast, focus on crew-served weapons; in the U.S. Army field artillery, a section operates a single howitzer, led by a section chief (sergeant), and includes personnel for loading, aiming, and firing to deliver indirect support. During World War II, such sections in U.S. Army rifle squads—organized as 12-man units with a squad leader, automatic rifle team, and riflemen—provided versatile tactical flexibility in engagements like those in Europe and the Pacific.^[86]^[87] Historically, the section concept appears in ancient militaries, exemplified by the Roman legion's contubernium, a subunit of 8 legionaries within a century of 80, who shared tents and mess duties while forming the core tactical group for disciplined formations and maneuvers. In World War II, Allied forces refined section tactics; British Army infantry sections, typically 10 men including a Bren light machine gun team led by a corporal, emphasized section-level fire support to sustain platoon advances in battles such as Normandy.^[88]^[89] In contemporary NATO frameworks, sections maintain this scale for interoperability, with many member armies using 7 to 10 soldiers per section to support multinational operations, such as in Afghanistan, where integrated fire teams enhanced small-unit effectiveness against insurgent threats. This evolution prioritizes adaptability, with sections equipped for both direct engagement and integration with unmanned systems for enhanced situational awareness.^[89]

Computing and Digital

In computing, a section refers to a named subdivision within object files or executables that organizes code, data, or other elements for linking and loading. In the Executable and Linkable Format (ELF), widely used in Unix-like operating systems, the .text section contains the program's executable instructions in machine code.^[90] The .data section stores initialized global and static variables with their initial values, while the .bss section reserves space for uninitialized variables that are zeroed at runtime.^[90] These sections enable efficient memory mapping and protection, with .text typically marked read-only to prevent modification during execution. Assembly language programming employs directives to place code or data into specific sections. In the GNU Assembler (as), the .section directive switches the assembly to a named section, such as .text for code or .data for variables, allowing the linker to merge compatible sections from multiple object files.^[91] For example, programmers might use .section .text to begin executable code assembly, followed by instructions, ensuring proper alignment and attributes like writability.^[92] This modular approach supports debugging, optimization, and portability across architectures. In web technologies, the

element in HTML5 provides semantic structure by grouping thematically related content, such as articles or navigation groups, without implying a specific outline level. Introduced in the HTML5 specification as a W3C Recommendation on October 28, 2014, it enhances accessibility by allowing screen readers to navigate document sections independently of visual styling. Developers often pair it with headings like

to define standalone content blocks, improving search engine indexing and maintainability. Digital media formats and applications also utilize sections for content organization. In Portable Document Format (PDF) files, particularly tagged PDFs for accessibility compliance, the tag denotes a subsection like a sidebar or boxed text within a larger document part, facilitating navigation for assistive technologies.^[93] It nests under or tags and typically contains paragraphs or other elements to maintain logical flow.^[93] In mobile app development, sections divide user interfaces into logical groupings, as outlined in Apple's Human Interface Guidelines for iOS. These guidelines, updated as of 2025 to include visionOS support and new design systems such as Liquid Glass, recommend using sections in tables or lists to separate related items, such as contact details or settings, with headers for clarity.^[94] In SwiftUI, the Section view encapsulates rows within List or Form components, automatically handling spacing and accessibility traits like grouping announcements. This approach ensures intuitive navigation across devices, aligning with principles of progressive disclosure to avoid overwhelming users.^[95]^[96]

References

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Definition of SECTION
### Primary Definitions of "Section" (Noun)
[2]
Section - Etymology, Origin & Meaning
Originating from late 14th-century Latin sectionem meaning "a cutting, division," section means the intersection or division of lines and the act of ...
[3]
SECTION definition in American English - Collins Dictionary
1. the act or process of cutting or separating by cutting; specif., an incision in surgery 2. a. a part separated or removed by cutting; slice; division.
[4]
Memorandum: Adopt-a-Highway Signs - Interpretation - MUTCD
May 2, 2022 · The program began as a means to allow States the authority to use various organizations to pick up litter along sections of streets and highways ...
[5]
WASHINGTON LOSES HOPE OF AGREEMENT; Text of British ...
—Washington official opinion tonight was that the Geneva Naval Conference ... tonnage considerably ... ton cruisers in Section 5, which is devoted to them.
[6]
THE FAILURE OF THE GENEVA CONFERENCE - jstor
to be as follows: Class A, British Empire and. United States, 90,000 tons; Japan 60,000 tons. Of each total tonnage no more than two thirds may be used for ...
[7]
Newspaper Sections and Terms - ThoughtCo
Jul 17, 2024 · The first page of a newspaper includes the title, all the publication information, the index, and the main stories that will capture the most attention.
[8]
2-300. How to Cite Constitutions, Statutes, and Similar Materials
The relevant citation principles follow; section 3-300 provides both basic examples and samples from all major US jurisdictions.
[9]
Question By Question Guidance - U.S. Census Bureau
Jun 11, 2025 · This survey is divided into eight sections based on subject matter. You may need to collaborate with colleagues in different departments to complete all ...
[10]
[PDF] Standards and Guidelines for Statistical Surveys | SAMHSA
SECTION 5 DATA ANALYSIS. Section 5.1 Analysis and Report Planning. Standard 5.1: Agencies must develop a plan for the analysis of survey data prior to the start ...
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Guide to the Orchestra - The Kennedy Center
Orchestras are groups of musicians playing instruments together, often playing classical music. Symphony orchestras have about 100 members.Lesson Content · The Orchestra · Videos
[12]
[PDF] The Orchestra - Carnegie Hall
Composer: You're right! The orchestra is divided into four different families: strings, woodwinds, brass, and percussion. Take a look at this map to see.
[13]
The Orchestra: Sections and Instruments (+ Sound Examples)
The typical classical setup consists of strings, woodwinds, brass, and percussion. It is powerful enough to fill a concert hall with sound but delicate enough ...String Section · Brass Section · Woodwind Section
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Instruments of the Orchestra Strings Woodwinds Brass Percussion ...
The percussion section provides a variety of rhythms, textures and tone colors to orchestral music. Instruments in the percussion family make sound in one of ...
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Beethoven's Classical Inheritance: the Symphony and the Orchestra
Beethoven would continue to expand the orchestra in his symphonies by adding parts for piccolo (Syms. 5, 6, 9), contrabassoon (Syms. 5, 9), and trombones ( ...
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[PDF] The Role of the Piccolo in Beethoven's Orchestration
Instrumental Pairing. In the table below, one observes Beethoven's use of the piccolo in his major symphonic works, with division into five categories: ...
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The AB Song Form consists of two or three verses that alternate with a second musical section referred to as the chorus. The chorus usually contains the song's ...
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Ternary form in music Ternary form is composed of three sections, structured as ABA. The “A” section is the opening section, and contrasts with the “B” middle ...
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Anatomy of the Venue: A Guide to the Parts of the Theater for Actors
Sep 19, 2024 · Stage and wings: Actors move from the wings to the stage and vice versa. The wings often house essential stagehands and props for quick changes.
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Dance Formation Ideas: Inspiring Layouts for Your Next Performance
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Section 8 (2022) - IMDb
Rating 4.3/10 (2,174) Section 8: Directed by Christian Sesma. With Ryan Kwanten, Dolph Lundgren, Dermot Mulroney, Mickey Rourke. After avenging the murder of his family a former ...User reviews · Section 8 · Official Trailer · Overview
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[PDF] Graphic Novel/Comics Terms and Concepts - ReadWriteThink.org
Layout. Panel: A distinct segment of the comic, containing a combination of image and text in endless variety. Panels offer a different experience than ...
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Oct 1, 2012 · Museum of Modern Art, Department of Eagles, Financial Section. Artist ... painting, wood sculpture, photography, graphite drawing, and ...
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Following Lenin's establishment of the Communist (Third) International, or Comintern, a majority of members resigned from the SFIO to establish the Parti ...Missing: founded | Show results with:founded
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Compte Rendu Sténographique des Congrès Nationaux archives
The S.F.I.O. was created in 1905 as a merger of two earlier French socialist parties. (Numbering of its congresses continued the sequence of one of the prior ...Missing: founded | Show results with:founded
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Municipal socialism in France from the interwar period to the 1970s
[1] Twenty years before the Congress of Unity that in 1905 founded the French Section of the Workers' International (Section française de l'Internationale ...
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The history of a paper, a festival and a party - RFI
Sep 5, 2008 · 1905: France's socialists unite in the Section Française de l'internationale ouvrière (SFIO), the French section of the Socialist Internati.
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An Overview of the Section 8 Housing Programs - Every CRS Report
Jan 10, 2005 · The Section 8 program began in 1974, primarily as a project-based rental assistance program. However, by the mid-1980s, project-based assistance ...
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Introduction to the Housing Voucher Program
May 15, 2009 · The Section 8 program was established in 1974 during the Nixon-Ford Administration. Major changes to the tenant-based portion of the program ...
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[PDF] AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL
There are nationally organized sections in 56 countries, and pre-section coordinating structures in another 24 countries and territories worldwide.
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Sections are dynamic communities where Members represent their discipline or interest areas in cross-disciplinary conversation and collaboration.Missing: 1892 | Show results with:1892
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1874 AAAS Constitution | American Association for the ...
Article 21. The Association shall be divided into two Sections, namely: A (Mathematics, Astronomy, Physics, Chemistry and Mineralogy) and B (Geology, Zoology, ...
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History of ICE - Institution of Civil Engineers
Discover the rich history of the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE), from its founding in 1818 to its role in shaping modern civil engineering globally.
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Specialist Knowledge Societies – ICE Expertise Groups
The RCEA was founded in 1921 and exists to encourage the exchange of knowledge and experience between railway civil engineers and encourage continuing ...
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Organization and Structure of UNESCO - MEXT
It is divided into 5 sectors specializing in the respective fields of Education, Natural Science, Human and Social Science, Culture and ICT.
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The Education Sector at a glance - UNESCO
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The Culture Sector will accordingly comprise in future, in addition to the ... The Division will consist of three sections: 1. History and Culture (HIS) ...<|control11|><|separator|>
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Conic Section -- from Wolfram MathWorld
Apollonius wrote the classic ancient work on the subject entitled On Conics. Kepler was the first to notice that planetary orbits were ellipses, and Newton was ...
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Apollonius (262 BC - 190 BC) - Biography - University of St Andrews
His works had a very great influence on the development of mathematics and his famous book Conics introduced the terms parabola, ellipse and hyperbola.
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Cross Section -- from Wolfram MathWorld
A cross section of a solid is a plane figure obtained by the intersection of that solid with a plane. The cross section of an object therefore represents an ...
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Golden Ratio -- from Wolfram MathWorld
The golden ratio, also known as the divine proportion, golden mean, or golden section, is a number often encountered when taking the ratios of distances in ...
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[PDF] Chapter 2 Rutherford Scattering
Differential cross-sections have the dimension of an area. These are usually quoted in terms of “barns”. I barn is defined to be 10-28 m2, so that, for example ...
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[PDF] Scattering of α and β particles, atom structure
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Scattering Cross Section - HyperPhysics
The cross section in barns for alpha scattering above a selected angle is a standard part of the analysis of Rutherford scattering.
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Explore the area moment of inertia (second moment of area) with detailed formulas, calculation tools, and reference tables for common shapes.
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May 2, 2023 · Using $dA = dx\ dy$ This is the formula for the moment of inertia of a rectangle about an axis passing through its base, and is worth ...Moment of Inertia of a Rectangle · Moment of Inertia of a TriangleMissing: original | Show results with:original
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Confocal scanning microscopy, a form of optical sectioning microscopy, has radically transformed optical imaging in biology.
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Optical Sectioning - The ability to image thin sections without having to mechanically slice a thick specimen is afforded by optical sectioning microscopy.
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The radar cross section (RCS) of a target is the equivalent area seen by a radar. It is the fictitious area intercepting that amount of power.
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Radar cross section is the measure of a target's ability to reflect radar signals in the direction of the radar receiver.
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Section Rosa harbors a number of taxa given species rank. These taxa are of hybrid origin, long cultivated, the status and knowledge of natural occurrence are ...
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Sep 9, 2025 · Exceptionally thin sections may be less than 2µm thick. For electron microscopy, sections are typically 50-100 nanometers (millimicrons) in ...
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Practicable methods for histological section thickness measurement ...
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Jun 16, 2021 · Worldwide caesarean section rates have risen from around 7% in 1990 to 21% today, and are projected to continue increasing over this current ...
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Jun 9, 2021 · The work conducted by WHO found that as countries increase their caesarean section rates up to 10%, maternal and neonatal mortality decrease.
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May 18, 2023 · Global caesarian section (CS) rates have significantly increased from around 7% in 1990 to 21% today surpassing the ideal acceptable CS rate which is around 10 ...
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Although centuriation was only one system of Roman land division, its impact on the landscape and its visibility in modern field arrangements make it the ...
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[PDF] Land Survey Systems in the United States - OLAF
One of the two headright systems of land grants was used to allocate land to people in eastern. Georgia (one third of the state). The Royal Headright System ...
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The Land Ordinance of 1785 defined land transfer, provided land surveys, divided land into townships, and encouraged westward expansion.
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The Public Land Survey System is a rectangular grid system for land description, using a true meridian and initial point, with 6-mile intervals for townships.
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Terms, Definitions. Aliquot Part, The standard subdivisions of a section, such as a half section, quarter section, or quarter-quarter section.
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As a policy (Survey Manual sections 3-33 and 9-90), land descriptions by aliquot part must not go beyond a four component description. For example, a 5-acre.
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May 30, 2023 · The USGS subdivides the United States by using Latitude and Longitude lines to form the boundaries of four-sided figures called “quadrangles”.
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[PDF] Portolan Charts from the Late Thirteenth Century to 1500
Portolan charts are fundamental, precise documents with accurate Mediterranean outlines, place names, and the first to use a linear scale.
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Same extents as the popular 7.5-minute, 1:24,000-scale* quadrangle maps released 1947 - 2006 · Standardized layout of map collar and traditional reference system ...
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This article will focus on the basic building block of the infantry, the rifle squad, in terms of its capabilities, survivability, combat power, and employment ...
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The Roman Legion
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An executable file using the ELF file format consists of an ELF header, followed by a program header table or a section header table, or both. The ELF header is ...
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The .section directive assembles code into a named section. It uses flags for COFF and ELF targets, and is used for stack manipulation in ELF.Missing: language | Show results with:language
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A layout guide defines a rectangular region that helps you position, align, and space your content on the screen. The system includes predefined layout guides ...