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8
Pre-Calculus
Module 8

Circular Function:
Unit Circle

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 PRE-CALCULUS MODULE 8: Unit Circle
PART I.
A. Introduction
Unit circle plays an important role in the field of Mathematics particularly in
Precalculus. It is a basic tool that would help us understand trigonometry and its
function. Many profession-like engineers, architectures, surveyors, soldiers, pilots,
designers, landscapers, and many more which uses the topic angles and its
applications in several problems they encounter in their profession while
performing their task.
At the end of this module, students should be able to:
1. Illustrate the unit circle and the relationship between the linear and angular
measures of a central angle in a unit circle;
2. Convert degree measure to radian measure and vice versa;
3. Illustrate angles in standard position and coterminal angles;

B. Pre-Test
Directions: Find out how much you already know about the topics in this
module. Write the letter that corresponds to your answer.
1. If a moving point generates an angle equal to 45°, what is the value of the cosine
function at the point?
√3 √2 1 √3
A. B. C. D.
2 2 2 3
2. Which of the following is equal to sec(−45°)
A. sec(45°) B. sec(220°) C. sec(135°) D. sec(−135°)
5𝜋
3. Which of the following is equal to ?
6
A. 60° B. 150° C. 210° D. 330°
4. What is the amplitude of the function 𝑦 = 9 sin 𝑥
A. 9𝜋 B. 18 C. 9 D. −9
5. Which number is NOT in the domain of 𝑦 = tan 3𝑥
7𝜋 4𝜋 𝜋
A. B. 𝜋 C. D.
6 3 3

C. Presentation / Discussion
A "unit circle" is a type of circle where the origin of the
rectangular coordinate system is found at the center and the
radius should be always equal to 1 unit. Since the equation
of a circle is denoted as 𝑥 2 + 𝑦 2 = 𝑟 2 then the equation of a
unit circle will be 𝑥 2 + 𝑦 2 = 1.
The coordinates of a unit circle must satisfy the defined
equation which is 𝑥 2 + 𝑦 2 = 1 if not then it will be considered
as outside the unit circle. These points includes (1,0), (0,1), (-
1,0) and (0,-1).

Examples: Determine if each of the following points is on, inside, or outside the
unit circle.
1 1 1 1 √3 1 √2 √2
1. (2 , − 2) 2. (− 2 , − 2) 3. (1, −1) 4. ( 2 , 2) 5. (− , )
2 2

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Solution:
1 1 1 1
1. Using the equation 𝑥 2 + 𝑦 2 = 1, we have 𝑥 = 2, and 𝑦 = − 2 from point (2 , − 2).
1 2 1 2 1 1 𝟏
( ) + (− ) = + =
2 2 4 4 𝟐
𝟏
Since is less than 1, then the point is inside the unit circle.
𝟐
1 1 1 1
2. Using the equation 𝑥 2 + 𝑦 2 = 1, we have 𝑥 = − , and 𝑦 = − from point (− , − ).
2 2 2 2
1 2 1 2 1 1 𝟏
(− ) + (− ) = + =
2 2 4 4 𝟐
𝟏
Since is less than 1, then the point is inside the unit circle.
𝟐
3. Using the equation 𝑥 2 + 𝑦 2 = 1, we have 𝑥 = 1, and 𝑦 = −1 from point (1, −1).
(1)2 + (−1)2 = 1 + 1 = 𝟐
Since 𝟐 is greater than 1, then the point is outside the unit circle.
√3 1 √3 1
4. Using the equation 𝑥 2 + 𝑦 2 = 1, we have 𝑥 = , and 𝑦 = 2 from point ( 2 , 2).
2
2
√3 1 2 3 1
( ) +( ) = + =𝟏
2 2 4 4
Since 𝟏 is equal to 1, then the point is on the unit circle.
√2 √2 √2 √2
5. Using the equation 𝑥 2 + 𝑦 2 = 1, we have 𝑥 = − , and 𝑦 = from point (− , ).
2 2 2 2
2 2
√2 √2 2 2
(− ) + ( ) = + = 𝟏
2 2 4 4
Since 𝟏 is equal to 1, then the point is on the unit circle.
A central angle is an angle whose vertex rests on the center of a circle and
its sides are radii of the same circle. Suppose we draw a central angle t from point
A (1,0) to point P (x,y), then this will generate an arc s that corresponds to a central
angle t whose measure (In calculus radians measure is preferably used) is equal
to the length of the arc.
If the point which moves from (1,0) terminates at (0,1) then the length of the
𝜋
arc generated by the point is 2 units and the measure of the central angle t is also
𝜋 𝜋
equal to or equivalent to 90°. Similarly, if the point terminates at 4 , then the
2
𝜋 𝜋
length of the arc is units and the measure of the central angle is or 45°.
4 4

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The unit circle circumference is 2𝜋 𝑢𝑛𝑖𝑡𝑠. Thus, if the unit circle is to be divided
2𝜋
into n congruent arcs, then the measure of each arc is equal to 𝑢𝑛𝑖𝑡𝑠.
𝑛
Examples: Determine the measure of the angle (in radian and degree measures)
generated by a point that starts from (1,0) and terminates at the following:
1. Positive x-axis Answer: 360° 𝑜𝑟 2𝜋
2. Negative x-axis Answer: 180° 𝑜𝑟 𝜋
𝜋
3. Positive y-axis Answer: 90° 𝑜𝑟 2
3𝜋
4. Negative y-axis Answer: 270° 𝑜𝑟 2
Converting Degree to Radian and vice versa
Degrees and radians are the two most commonly used units of measurement
for angles. Since a unit circle has circumference 2𝜋, a central angle that measures
360° has measure equivalent to 2𝜋 radians. Thus, we obtain the following
conversion rules:
𝜋
1. To convert a degree measure to radian, multiply it by 180°.
180°
2. To convert a radian measure to degree, multiply it by .
𝜋
A unit circle is a circle with a radius of 1, and it is used to show certain
common angles (in degrees, radians and coordinates).
Examples:
1. Convert the following measures to radians (rad).
𝜋 𝟕𝝅 𝜋 𝟓𝝅
a. 35° = 35° ( )= 𝒓𝒂𝒅 d. 225° = 225° ( )= 𝒓𝒂𝒅
180° 𝟑𝟔 180° 𝟒
𝜋 𝟐𝟑𝝅 𝜋 𝝅
b. 230° = 230° (180°) = 𝒓𝒂𝒅 e. −270° = (360° − 270°) = 90° (180°) = 𝟐 𝒓𝒂𝒅
𝟏𝟖
𝜋 𝝅 𝜋 𝟕𝝅
c. 45° = 45° (180°) = 𝟒 𝒓𝒂𝒅 f. −108 = (360° − 108°) = 252° (180°) = 𝒓𝒂𝒅
𝟓
2. Express the following radians to degree measure.
𝜋 𝜋 180° 7𝜋 7𝜋 180°
a. 5 𝑟𝑎𝑑 = 5 ( ) = 𝟑𝟔° d. 𝑟𝑎𝑑 = ( ) = 𝟑𝟏𝟓°
𝜋 4 4 𝜋
2𝜋 2𝜋 180° 𝜋 𝜋 180°
b. 𝑟𝑎𝑑 = ( ) = 𝟏𝟐𝟎° e. − 4 𝑟𝑎𝑑 = − 4 ( ) = −45° = 360° − 45° = 𝟑𝟏𝟓°
3 3 𝜋 𝜋
5𝜋 5𝜋 180° 11𝜋 11𝜋 180°
c. 𝑟𝑎𝑑 = ( ) = 𝟏𝟓𝟎° f. − 𝑟𝑎𝑑 = − ( ) = −110° = 360° − 110° = 𝟐𝟓𝟎°
6 6 𝜋 18 18 𝜋
Angles in the Standard Position, Coterminal Angles and Reference Angles
The positioning of an angle is called the standard position. It is in standard
position when the initial side coincides with the positive x-axis and the vertex of
the angle is located at the origin of the rectangular coordinate.
The initial side of an angle is the ray where the measurement of an angle starts.
The terminal side of an angle is the ray where the measurement of an angle
ends. Two angles in standard position are show below.
The one on the left goes counterclockwise and
is defined to be a positive angle. The one on
the right goes clockwise and is defined to be a
negative angle. If you used a protractor to
measure the angles, you would get 50° in both
cases. We refer to the first one as a 50° angle,
and we refer to the second one as a -50° angle.

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 Two angles in the standard position that have the
same terminal side are called coterminal angles. Figure
shows two angles that are coterminal.
Coterminal angles of a given angle θ may be
obtained by either adding or subtracting a multiple of
360° or 2π radians. Two angles are coterminal if
the difference between them is a multiple of 360° or 2π.
Coterminal of θ = θ + 360° × k if θ is given in degrees,
Coterminal of θ = θ + 2π × k if θ is given in radians, where k is any integer
Examples:
A. Solve the following:
a. Determine if −410°, 180° pairs of angles are coterminal.
Solution: −410° − 180° = −590°, which is not a multiple of 360°. So, −410° and
180° are not coterminal angles.
b. Find two positive angles that are coterminal with an angle that measures 60°.
Solution: 60° + 360°(1) = 60° + 360° = 𝟒𝟐𝟎°
60° + 360°(2) = 60° + 720° = 𝟕𝟖𝟎°
c. Find one positive angle and one negative angle that are coterminal with an
5𝜋
angle measuring .
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5𝜋 5𝜋 12𝜋 𝟏𝟕𝝅
Solution: + 2𝜋(1) = + =
6 6 6 𝟔
5𝜋 5𝜋 12𝜋 𝟕𝝅
+ 2𝜋(−1) = − =−
6 6 6 𝟔
d. Find the angle coterminal with −420° that has measure between −360° and 0°.
Solution: Note: A negative angle moves in a clockwise direction, so −420° will
be found in the fourth quadrant, then the angle would be −420° + 360° = −𝟔𝟎°
B. Find the angle between 0° 𝑎𝑛𝑑 360° (if in degrees) or between 0 rad and 2𝜋
rad (if in radians) that is coterminal with the given angle.
a. −420° Solution: −420° + 360°(2) = −420° + 720 = 𝟑𝟎𝟎°
10𝜋 10𝜋 10𝜋 8𝜋 𝟐𝝅 𝝅
b. 𝑟𝑎𝑑 Solution: − 2𝜋 = − = 𝒐𝒓
4 4 4 4 𝟒 𝟐
C. Find the angle between −360° 𝑎𝑛𝑑 0° (if in degrees) or between -2𝜋 rad and 0
rad (if in radians) that is coterminal with the given angle.
a. 150° Solution: 150° − 360° = −𝟐𝟏𝟎°
15𝜋 15𝜋 15𝜋 12𝜋 𝟑𝝅 𝝅
b. − 𝑟𝑎𝑑 Solution: − + 2𝜋 = − + =− 𝒐𝒓 − 𝟐
6 6 6 6 𝟔
c. 45° Solution: 45° − 360° = −𝟑𝟏𝟓°

SUMMATIVE EVALUATION
A. Multiple Choice: Write the letter of your answer on your answer sheet.
√2 √2
1. Which of the following is true about 𝑃 ( 2 , )?
2
A. P is on the unit circle C. P is outside the unit circle
B. P is inside the unit circle D. P is at the center of the unit circle
2. Which of the following is NOT a point on the unit circle?
√2 √2 √3 √2 1 √3 √3 1
A. ( ,− ) B. ( ,− ) C. ( , ) D. (− ,− )
2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2
3. What is the reference angle in radians of the angle that measures 270°?
𝜋 𝜋 𝜋
A. 𝜋 B. 3 C. 4 D. 6

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4. What is the measure of the reference angle for an angle of −310° in standard
position?
A. 310° B. −50° C. 50° D. −130°
5. Which of these angles is NOT coterminal with an angle of −240° in standard
position?
A. 120° B. −600° C. −60° D. 480°
6. Which of these angles is coterminal with an angle of 230° in standard position?
A. −130° B. 130° C. −230° D. 40°
7. What is 85° in radians?
15300 17 17𝜋
A. 85𝜋 rad B. rad C. rad D. rad
𝜋 36 36
8. What is −240° in radians?
4 43200 4𝜋
A. −240𝜋 rad B. − 3 rad C. − rad D. − rad
𝜋 3
9. What is −6𝜋 rad in degrees?
A. −344° B. −19° C. −1080° D. −2°
2𝜋
10. Which angle is NOT coterminal with an angle of rad in standard position?
5
12𝜋 8𝜋 18𝜋
A. − 5
B. 5
C. 0𝜋 D. 5
B. Matching Type: Match Column A with the correct answer on Column B.
Write the letter of your answer on your answer sheet.
Column A Column B
1. It is an angle whose vertex
A. Circle
rests on the center of a circle and its
B. Terminal Side of an Angle
sides are radii of the same circle.
C. 360°
2. 𝑥 2 + 𝑦 2 = 𝑟 2 10𝜋
D. 3
19𝜋
3. An acute angle formed by a E. 36
terminal side of a given angle in the F. Central Angle
standard position and x-axis. G. Unit Circle
4. An angle obtained by adding or H. Coterminal Angle
subtracting a multiple of 360° 𝑜𝑟 2𝜋 I. 37°
radian J. Reference Angle
K. Initial Side of an Angle
5. 2𝜋 express in degrees is equal
to
6. What is the positive angle that
are coterminal with an angle that
4𝜋
measure 3 ?

7. Convert 95° in radians

8. 𝑥 2 + 𝑦 2 = 1
9. The given angle is 37°
measure, what is the reference angle?
10. It is the ray where the
measurement of an angle ends.
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