The Radian Measure

Objectives: to be able to,

Contents
•convert degree measure to radian
1. What is a radian? measure and vice versa,

2. Converting radians to degrees. •find the length of arc of a circle using the
radian formula,
3. Trigonometric graphs with radians.
•find the area of a sector of a circle using
4. The length of an arc. the radian formula,

5. The area of a sector. Prior knowledge: you should already know

how to,
6. Problem solving questions example.
•use the sine formula for the area of a
7. Problem solving questions. triangle,

•draw the basic trigonometric curves

y=sinx, y=cosx, and y=tanx.
 What is a radian?
Consider a circle with two radii drawn to produce an arc whose length is also the radius.

r This angle is one radian – the angle produced

to make an arc of length one radius.

r
We use the symbol c for radians, but
frequently mathematicians do not use the
r symbol to refer to radians.

Why use radians?

Mathematicians use radians as they allow angle

measures to be written as exact numbers. They make
calculating the length of a sector and the area of an
arc easier.
 Radians to degrees
and a bit
How many radians in a circle?
r 1
Six and a bit … …. this is in fact 2π.
6 1c in degrees.
r

Arc length= 2 r
1 c
r 2 360

Arc length=r (as angle is 1c )

 
r= 2 r
5 360
 2 divide by r
3 1=
360
360
4 =
2
Mathematicians use exact numbers so will 180
use the fact that, 


c As  =1c we have  c =180

 =180 1c 57.3
 Radians to degrees
Examples
c
1. Convert 60 into radians.  7 
2. Convert   into degrees.
Give your answer as an exact number.  6 

 =180  =180


1 
180 7 7
 180
6 6
60 
60 
180
7
210
6

60 
3
 Radians to degrees
Questions c
 5 
4. Convert   into degrees.
1. Convert 150 into radians.  3 
Give your answer as an exact number.
5
300
5 3
150 
6
5. Convert 90 into radians.
c
  Give your answer as an exact number.
2. Convert   into degrees.
6

 90 
30 2
6

c
3. Convert 225 into radians.  3 
6. Convert   into degrees.
Give your answer as an exact number.  2 

5 3
225  270
4 2
 The Sine Graph

y=sinx

0
0  3 2
360
90 
180 270
2 2

  


Label in degrees Now label in radians

This will also be the same for the cosine graph.

 The Cosine Graph

y=cosx

0 90
 
180 3
270 2
360
0
2 2

   

Label in degrees Now label in radians

This will also be the same for the tangent graph.

 The Tangent Graph

y=tanx

0 90
 
180 3
270 2
360
0
2 2

   

Label in degrees Now label in radians

 The arc length

Working in radians allows us to make

l calculations much quicker for arc lengths
and sector areas.



 l 2 r in degrees ... change to radians.
360


l  2 r
2

Arc length =  r

This works only if the angle is in

radians.
 The sector area

Find the area of the shaded area, A.

A

A  r 2 in degrees ... change to radians.
360


A  r 2
2


r 2
Area =
2

This works only if the angle is in

radians.
 Arc length and sector area - example

A 1. Find the length of the arc AB.

AB r

2
12 cm AB 12 
3
2
O 3 AB 8 cm

2. Find the area of the sector AOB.

r 2
B AOB 
2

2 122
AOB  
3 2

AOB 48 cm2

 Arc length and sector area - questions
1. The diagram below shows a circle with 2. The diagram below shows a circle with a
2 radius of OA. AC is perpendicular to OB. Given
a radius of 10 cm and a sector of angle . 
5 that the angle AOB= and that the length of
6
A AB= , find exact area of the green shaded
10 cm part of the diagram, ABC.

O
2
5

B
a) Find the arc length AB shown in the diagram.

AB 4 cm
 9 3 2
b) Find the area of AOB shown in the diagram. Area=  3 -  cm
 2 

Area 20 cm2

See solution
 Arc length and sector area - questions
3. The diagram below shows a circle with a 4. The diagram below shows a circle with a
radius (OA) of 4 cm. AB is a tangent to the 2
radius (OA) of 4 cm. The angle AOB is .
circle with a length of 10 cm. Calculate the 3
Calculate the exact area of the green shaded
shaded green area.
area.

Green area=10.48 cm2

 16 
Green area=   4 3  cm2
 3 

See solution
See solution
The diagram below shows a circle with a radius of OA. AC is perpendicular to OB. Given

that the angle AOB= and that the length of AB= , find exact area of the green shaded
6
part of the diagram, ABC. And,
 OC
cos 
l  r 6 6
6 cm 3 OC
3 cm    OC 3 3 cm
 r 2 6
6
1 9 3

 3 3 cm r 6 OCA  3 3 3  OCA  cm2
2 2
62
Sector AOB    3
 6 2
Using right-angled trigonometry, Green area = sector-triangle
 AC
sin   9 3
6 6 Green area=  3 - 2
 cm
 2 
1 AC
  AC 3 cm
2 6
Return
The diagram below shows a circle with a radius (OA) of 4 cm. AB is a tangent to the
circle with a length of 10 cm. Calculate the shaded green area.

1
Area OAB= 4 10
2

 OAB=20 cm2

The minor sector of the circle is,

 1.19 42
2
Since AB is a tangent to the circle, OAB is a
right-angle.
Sector 9.52 cm2
Angle AOB can be found using right-angled
trigonometry,
10 Green area=10.48 cm2
tan 
4

 1.19 Return
 2
The diagram below shows a circle with a radius (OA) of 4 cm. The angle AOB is .
3
Calculate the exact area of the green shaded area.
Area of triangle OAB is,
1  2 
4 4 sin 
2  3 

8 3

2

4 3 cm2

Green area=sector-triangle

 16 
Area of the sector OAB is, Green area=   4 3  cm2
 3 
2 42

3 2
Return
16
 cm2
3