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A R
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Measure
Another way to measure angles is using what is called
radians.

Given a circle of radius r with the vertex of an angle as the

center of the circle, if the arc length formed by intercepting
the circle with the sides of the angle is the same length as
the radius r, the angle measures one radian.

de l
si ina
rm
te arc length is
r r also r

r initial side
This angle measures
radius of circle is r 1 radian
 Arc length s of a circle is found with the following
formula: IMPORTANT: ANGLE
s = r MEASURE MUST BE IN
RADIANS TO USE FORMULA!

arc length radius measure of angle

Find the arc length if we have a circle with a radius of 3

meters and central angle of 0.52 radian.

arc length to find is in black

 = 0.52
3 s = r30.52 = 1.56 m

What if we have the measure of the angle in degrees? We

can't use the formula until we convert to radians, but how?
 We need a conversion from degrees to radians. We
could use a conversion fraction if we knew how many
degrees equaled how many radians.
If we look at one revolution
Let's start with
the arc length s = r around the circle, the arc
length would be the
formula circumference. Recall that

cancel the r's

2 r = r  circumference of a circle is
2r

2 =  This tells us that the

radian measure all the
way around is 2. All
2  radians = 360° the way around in
degrees is 360°.
 2  radians = 360°  radians = 180°
Convert 30° to radians using a conversion fraction.

30°  2 radians
The fraction can be
reduced by 2. This
360 would be a simpler
180° conversion fraction.
 Can leave with  or use  button
= radians  0.52
6 on your calculator for decimal.
Convert /3 radians to degrees using a conversion fraction.

 180
radians  = 60°
3  radians
Here are the angles in degrees and their corresponding
radians. You should become familiar with both
 Area of a Sector of a Circle
The formula for the area of a
 sector of a circle (shown in
r red here) is derived in your
textbook. It is:
Again  must be in RADIANS 1 2
so if it is in degrees you must A r 
convert to radians to use the 2
formula.
Find the area of the sector if the radius is 3 feet and  = 50°
 radians 1 2
50  = 0.873 radians A    3  0.873
180 2
 3.93 sq ft
 A Sense of Angle Sizes
See if you can guess

45 
 the size of these 
angles first in degrees 60 
4 and then in radians. 3
2
30 
 120  180  
3
6

 5
90  150 3
6 135
2 4

You will be working so much with these angles, you

should know them in both degrees and radians.