Passage: Read the given passage and answer the questions that follow. The Babylonians developed the sexagesimal (base-60) system, which had more computational potential than necessary for earlier problems. However, it became essential during the Seleucid period with the rise of mathematical astronomy. Astronomers needed to predict events like lunar eclipses and planetary cycles. They created a method to calculate positions in terms of degrees of latitude and longitude relative to the Sun's annual movement. By adding terms in a simple arithmetic progression, they could compute future positions. These results were organised into tables, allowing predictions to be made for long periods. The method itself was arithmetic, but graphically, the results showed a linear 'zigzag' pattern that approximated a sinusoidal curve. While gathering observations over centuries was needed to determine the key parameters, it was the computational tools available that made such predictions possible. The system was soon adopted by the Greeks, particularly by Hipparchus in the 2nd century BCE, who combined it with their geometric methods. Later, the system spread to Arab scientists in the Middle Ages and then to Europe, where it influenced the development of mathematical astronomy during the Renaissance and beyond. Today, the sexagesimal system is still used in measuring time and angles through minutes and seconds. Question: Select the option that best represents the main theme of the passage.

1. The influence of Greek mathematicians on Babylonian astronomy
2. The rise of geometric methods in ancient system of astronomy
3. The role of Arab scientists in preserving Babylonian knowledge
4. The development and impact of the sexagesimal system in astronomy