Introduction

This Chapter focuses on using Radians when

answering questions involving circles

Radians are an alternative to degrees

Radians are quicker to use than degrees (when
you get used to them)

They also allow extra calculations which would
be much more difficult to do using degrees
instead
Radian measure and its
Applications
You can measure angles in Radians

Radians are an alternative to degrees.
Some calculations involving circles are
easier when Radians are used, as
opposed to degrees.

If arc AB has length r, then angle AOB
is 1 radian (1
c
or 1 rad)


6A
r
r
r
A
B
O
1
c
r
2
c
t =
Arc Length 1
c
=
2 r t Arc Length
2
c
t = 360
c
t = 180
1
c
=
180
t
Multiply by 2
2r is the
circumference
2

Radian measure and its
Applications
You can measure angles in Radians

You need to be able to convert between
degrees and radians.
6A
1
c
180
t
=
Multiply
by
180
/

Radians Degrees
Convert the following
angle to degrees
7
8
rad
t
7 180
8
t
t

1260
8
t
t
1260
8
157.5
Multiply by
180
/

Top x Top,
Bottom x Bottom

Cancel out

Work out
the sum

Radian measure and its
Applications
You can measure angles in Radians

You need to be able to convert between
degrees and radians.
6A
1
c
180
t
=
Multiply
by
180
/

Radians Degrees
Convert the following
angle to degrees
4
15
rad
t
4 180
15
t
t

720
15
t
t
720
15
48
Multiply by
180
/

Top x Top,
Bottom x Bottom

Cancel out

Work out
the sum

Radian measure and its
Applications
You can measure angles in Radians

You need to be able to convert between
degrees and radians.
6A
1
c
180
t
=
Divide
by
180
/

Degrees Radians
Convert the following
angle to radians
150
150
180
t

150
180
t
5
6
rad
t
Multiply by

/
180
Only multiply the
top here

Simplify

Multiply
by

/
180
Radian measure and its
Applications
You can measure angles in Radians

You need to be able to convert between
degrees and radians.
6A
1
c
180
t
=
Divide
by
180
/

Degrees Radians
Convert the following
angle to radians
110
110
180
t

110
180
t
11
18
rad
t
Multiply by

/
180
Only multiply the
top here

Simplify

Multiply
by

/
180
Radian measure and its
Applications
Finding the length of an arc is
easier when you use radians


6B

r
r
l Length of Arc
Circumference
Angle at Centre
Total Angle at Centre
=
2
l
r t 2
u
t
=
l
r
u
=
l
ru
=
Multiply
by 2
Multiply
by r
(The angle must be in radians!)
Radian measure and its
Applications
Finding the length of an arc is
easier when you use radians

Find the length of the arc of a
circle of radius 5.2cm. The arc
subtends an angle of 0.8
c
at the
centre of the circle.
6B
l ru =
l 5.2 0.8 =
l 4.16cm
=
Radian measure and its
Applications
Finding the length of an arc is
easier when you use radians

Arc AB of a circle, with centre O
and radius r, subtends an angle of
radians at O. The Perimeter of
sector AOB is P cm. Express r in
terms of .
6B
r
r

A
B
O
Length AB = r
P = ru 2r +
P = ( 2) r u +
( 2)
P
u
=
+
r
r
Factorise
Divide by
( + 2)
Radian measure and its
Applications
Finding the length of an arc is
easier when you use radians

The border of a garden pond consists
of a straight edge AB of length 2.4m,
and a curved part C, as shown in the
diagram below. The curved part is an
arc of a circle, centre O and radius 2m.
Find the length of C.
6B
O
A B
2.4m
2m 2m
C

(We need to work out angle )
2m
1.2m
(O)
(H)
sin
opp
x
hyp
=
1.2
sin
2
x =
sin 0.6 x =
0.6435 x rad =
Inverse sine
Calculator
in Radians
x
2 1.287 x rad =
Double for
angle AOB
1.287
c
Angle = 2 1.287
Angle = 4.996 rad
4.996
c
l ru =
2 4.996 l =
9.99 l m =
O
A
B
Radian measure and its
Applications
The Area of a Sector and Segment
can be worked out using Radians


6C
A
B
O
X

Area of Sector
Total Area
Angle at Centre
Total Angle
=
2
X
r t
=
2
u
t
2
X
r
=
2
u
X
=
2
2
r u
X =
2
1
2
r u
Multiply by
Multiply by r
2
This is the formulas
usual form
Radian measure and its
Applications
The Area of a Sector and Segment
can be worked out using Radians

In the diagram, the area of the minor
sector AOB is 28.9cm
2
. Given that
angle AOB is 0.8 rad, calculate the
value of r.

6C
B
O
0.8
c
A
r cm
2
1
2
A r u =
2
1
28.9 (0.8)
2
r =
2
28.9 0.4r =
2
72.25 r =
8.5cm r =
Put the
numbers in
x 0.8 =
0.4
Divide by
0.4
Square root
Radian measure and its
Applications
The Area of a Sector and Segment
can be worked out using Radians

A plot of land is in the shape of a
sector of a circle of radius 55m. The
length of fencing that is needed to
enclose the land is 176m. Calculate the
area of the plot of land.

6C
A
B
O
55m
55m

(We need to work out the angle first)
66m
The length of the arc
must be 66m (adds up
to 176 total)
l ru =
66 55u =
1.2
c
u =
2
1
2
A r u =
2
1
55
2
A u =
2
1815 m A=
Put the
numbers in
Divide by 55
1.2
c
Put the
numbers in
Radian measure and its
Applications
The Area of a Sector and Segment
can be worked out using Radians

You can also work out the area of a
segment using radians.

6C
O
A
B
r
r

Area of a Segment
Area of Sector AOB Area of Triangle AOB
Area of Sector AOB
2
1
2
A r u =
Area of Triangle AOB
2
1
r sin
2
A u =
Area of the Segment
2
1
r sin
2
u
2
1
r
2
u
( sin ) u u
2
1
r
2
1
sin
2
A ab C =
a = b = r
C =
Factorise
Radian measure and its
Applications
The Area of a Sector and Segment
can be worked out using Radians

Calculate the Area of the segment shown in
the diagram below.

6C
O

3
2.5cm
( sin ) u u
2
1
r
2
sin
3 3
t t
| |

|
\ .
2
1
2.5
2
( )
0.1811...
3.125
2
0.57 cm
Substitute the
numbers in
Work the
parts out
Only round the
final answer
Radian measure and its
Applications
The Area of a Sector and Segment
can be worked out using Radians

In the diagram AB is the diameter of a
circle of radius r cm, and angle BOC =
radians. Given that the Area of triangle
AOC is 3 three times that of the shaded
segment, show that 3 4sin = 0.

6C
0
A
C
B

Area of the shaded segment
( )
2
1
sin
2
r u u
1
sin
2
ab C
Area of triangle AOC
2
1
sin( )
2
r t u
Remember, sin x = sin (180 x)
2
1
sin
2
r u
2
1
sin
2
r u
( )
2
1
3 sin
2
r u u =
sinu ( ) 3 sin u u =
sinu 3 3sin u u =
0
3 4sin u u =
a = b = r
Angle = -
AOC = 3 x
shaded segment
Cancel out
1
/
2
r
2
Multiply out the
brackets

Subtract sin

Summary
We have learnt how to change from
degrees to radians

We have seen how to do calculations to
work out the length of an arc

We have also seen formulae for the
Area or a sector and segment