1.

1 Measuring Angles in Radians

“A radian is the angle subtended at the centre of a circle by an arc length whose length is equal to
that of the radius of the circle”. This means a radian is the angle formed when the arc length and
the radius are the same.

The number of radians in a circle = length of circumference

Length of radius
2r
=
r
= 2

 360 = 2 rads

180 =  rads
180
1 rad =  57·3


1.2 Changing Degrees to Radians


Multiply by
Rule:- 180

Example 1. Convert 45° to radians

 45
45  = Leave your answer in
180 180 terms of  unless asked
 for more accuracy
=
4

Example 2. Convert 75° to radians, give your answer to 2sf.

 75
75  =
180 180
= 1·308996
= 1·3 (2sf)

1.3 Changing Radians to Degrees

180
Multiply by
Rule: 
2
Example 1. Convertrads to degress
3
2 180
 = 120
3 
c
Example 2. Convert 20·1 to degrees
 180
2·1  = 120·3


1.4 Finding Arc Lengths

The length of an arc is always proportional to the angle at the centre of the arc and the radius of the
arc. If 2 arcs have the same radius but one has an angle twice the size of the other, it means one arc
length will be twice the size of the other.

l
2l

Formula for finding an arc length: – l = r where l = arc length,

r = radius
 = angle at the centre

l  Length of arc = angle at the centre

=
2r 2 Circumference total angle at centre
2r
(  2r) l=
2
Ratio of sides = Ratio of angles
l = r

Example 1. Find the length of the arc ABC.

2
l = r r = 5cm  =
3
2
l=5
3
10
l= or 10·47cm
3
Example 2. Find the radius of the sector ABC

5
l = r r = 16cm  =
4
5
16 = r 
4
4
16  =r
5
64
= r or r = 4·07cm
5

Example 3. An arc AB or a circle, with centre o and radius r cm, subtends an angle of θ
radians at O. The perimeter of the sector AOB is P cm.
Express r in terms of θ.

p = (2  radius) + arc length

p = 2r + r
p
+=r
2

1.5 Finding the Area of a Sector

1 2
A= r  where r = radius ,  = angle at centre
Formula for area of a sector is 2

A 
2
= Area of Sector = angle at the centre
r 2 Area of circle total angle at centre
2  2
(  r ) A=  r
2
2 Ratio of areas = Ratio of angles
r 1 2
A= or A = r 
2 2

Important : If the question gives the angle at the centre in degrees it must be changed to radians

Example 1. Find the area of the sector ABC, where ABC = and r = 2cm,
3
give your answer in terms of 
 1 2 
A= r  where r = 2cm,  =
2 3
1 
A= 22
2 3

2 2
A= cm
3

Example 2. Find the area of the sector ABC, where ABC = 60 and r = 8cm, give your answer to 3sf

60 = 60 
180

=
3

1 2 
A= r  where  = , r = 8cm
2 3
.
1 
A= 88
2 3
32
A=
3
2
A = 33·5 cm (2sf)

1.6 Finding the Area of a Segment

Formula for the area of a segment:-

1 2 1 2
A= r  – r Sin 
2 2

1 2
or A = r ( – sin ) where r = radius,  = angle at centre
2

1
area of a triangle =
ab sin C
Note : 2 , as a = b = r, ab = r2
Area of segment = Area of sector – area of a triangle

1 2 1
Area of segment  r   r 2 sin 
2 2

Example 1. Find the area of the shaded segment.

 1 2 
A= r ( – sin) where r = 9cm and  =
2 6

1 2    
A= 9  – sin 
2  6 6 

A = 40·5  (0·023598775)
A = 0·95575 (5sf)

1.7Application of circular measure

Example 1:

The figure ABCQP represents a key hole.  ABC is part of a circle centre O and radius
4 mm.  OPQ is an isosceles triangle and AP = 12 mm.  Given that ,
calculate the area and perimeter of the key hole.
 

Solution:
Area = 0.5 ( 2π −0 .541592653 ) (16)+0.5(16 )(16 )sin(0 .541592653 )−0.5(4 )( 4)sin (0.541592653)
= 111 mm2

Perimeter = 4 ( 2 π −0 .541592653 ) +12+12+6.42

= 53.4 mm2