STEM 307 Reading Assignment

Topic: Angles and Angular Measures

Objectives:

After this reading assignment, students are expected to:

1. define the following: angle, angular measure, coterminal angles, and reference angles;
2. convert degree measures to radian measures and vice versa;
3. illustrate angles in standard position and coterminal angles; and
4. solve for the reference angle.

Introduction

As we keenly observe from the pictures below, they have one thing in common. These pictures
present different types of angles.

Countless problems involving angles are present in different fields like engineering, medical
imaging, electronics, astronomy, geography and many more. Surveyors, pilots, landscapers,
designers, soldiers, and people in many other professions heavily use angles and trigonometry to
accomplish a variety of practical tasks. In this reading assignment, we will deal with the basics of
angles and angular measures.

Angle Measure

An angle can be defined as the union of two rays with a common endpoint called the vertex
of the angle.

In trigonometry, an angle is formed by rotating a ray about its vertex from one position, called
the initial side of the angle, to another, called the terminal side.

1
 An angle is in standard position if it is drawn in the 𝑥𝑦-plane with its vertex at the origin and
its initial side on the positive 𝑥-axis. The angles α, β, and θ in the following figure are angles in
standard position.

initial side

If an angle is formed by a counterclockwise rotation, its measure is positive. If an angle is

formed by a clockwise rotation, its measure is negative.

The amount of opening of an angle is its measure, also called angular measure.

Units of Measurement of Angles

There are two (2) most used units for angular measure and one of it is the degree. It is
denoted by ° (small-raised circle) placed after the number. To measure the angle of rotation, it is
important to note that one full rotation of the initial side is 360°. If it is in one full rotation, the initial
𝟏
side coincides with the terminal side (see figure below). We can say that 1° is 𝟑𝟔𝟎𝒕𝒉 of a full rotation
since one full rotation is 360°.

terminal side

initial side

The other most often used unit to indicate angular measure is radian. A radian (1 radian) is
the measure of the central angle subtended by an arc of a circle whose length is equal to the radius
of the circle (see figure on the next page).

2
 To give you a clear idea on how to find the degree measure of an angle given certain
conditions, see the following examples.

Instruction: Determine the degree measure of the angle with the given conditions.
1
1) rotation, clockwise Answer: −90°
4

1
2) rotation, counterclockwise Answer: 180°
2

3
3) rotation, clockwise Answer: −216°
5

4
4) rotation, counterclockwise Answer: 480°
3

3
5) rotation, clockwise Answer: ______________
4

Note: The explanation for each answer is located at the last page of this reading assignment.

Converting Radians to Degrees (Vice Versa)

It is important to always remember the following expressions in converting radians to

degrees and vice versa where 𝑛 represents the value we will convert.

For you to have a clear understanding on how to convert radians to degrees and vice versa,
see the following examples.

Instruction: Express each angle measure in radians:

𝜋
1) 45° Answer: 4 radians
𝜋 𝜋
Solution: 45° = 𝑛 (
180
) = 45 (
180
) we use the second expression since its degrees to radians

45𝜋
= reduced into its lowest terms
180

𝜋
= radians
4

3
 𝜋
2) 90° Answer: 2 radians

𝜋 𝜋
Solution: 90° = 𝑛 (
180
) = 90 (
180
) we use the second expression since its degrees to radians

90𝜋
= reduced into its lowest terms
180

𝜋
= radians
2

2𝜋
3) −120° Answer: − radians
3

Solution: −120° = 𝑛 (
𝜋
) = −120 (
𝜋
) we use the second expression since its degrees to radians
180 180

−120𝜋
= reduced into its lowest terms
180

−2𝜋
= radians
3

4) −405° Answer: ______________

Solution:

Instruction: Express each angle measure in degrees:

21𝜋
1) radians Answer: 945°
4

Solution: 21𝜋
𝑟𝑎𝑑𝑖𝑎𝑛𝑠 = 𝑛 (
180 °
) =
21𝜋 180 °
( ) we use the first expression since its radians to degrees
4 𝜋 4 𝜋

3780 °
=( ) simplify further
4

= 945°

2) 3 radians Answer: 171.89°

Solution: 180 ° 180 °

3 𝑟𝑎𝑑𝑖𝑎𝑛𝑠 = 𝑛 ( ) = 3( ) we use the first expression since its radians to degrees
𝜋 𝜋

540 °
=( ) simplify further
𝜋

= 171.89°

18𝜋
3) − 3
radians Answer: ______________

Solution:

4
Coterminal Angles

These are angles in standard position whose terminal sides coincide. From the illustration
shown above, we can say that 390° & 30° and −210° & 150° are coterminal angles since both of
their terminal sides coincide.

The measure of any angle coterminal with an angle of degree measure θ is obtained by
evaluating 𝜃 + (𝑛)(360°), where 𝑛 is an integer (see function below).

𝒇(𝒏) = [𝜽 + (𝒏)(𝟑𝟔𝟎)]°

To give you a clear idea on how to find the coterminal angles with a given angle, see the
following examples.

Instruction: Find two (2) angles, one positive and one negative, that are coterminal with the
following angles.

1) 40° Answer: −320° and 400°

Solution: 𝑓(1) = [𝜃 + (1)(360)]° 𝑛 = 1 since we are looking for the positive coterminal angle

= [40 + (1)(360)]° simplify further

= [40 + 360]°

= 400°

𝑓(−1) = [𝜃 + (−1)(360)]° 𝑛 = −1 since we are looking for the negative coterminal angle

= [40 + (−1)(360)]° simplify further

= [40 − 360]°

= −320°

2) −34° Answer: −394° and 326°

Solution: 𝑓(1) = [𝜃 + (1)(360)]° 𝑛 = 1 since we are looking for the positive coterminal angle

= [−34 + (1)(360)]° simplify further

= [−34 + 360]°

= 326°

𝑓(−1) = [𝜃 + (−1)(360)]° 𝑛 = −1 since we are looking for the negative coterminal angle

= [−34 + (−1)(360)]° simplify further

= [−34 − 360]°

= −394°
5
 3) 151° Answer: ______________

Solution:

Reference Angle

For any non-quadrantal angle θ in standard position, there exist a reference angle α, which is
the acute angle formed by the terminal side of angle θ and the 𝑥-axis; such angle is called reference
angle (see figure below).

For you to have a clear understanding on how to solve for the reference angle, please see the
following examples.
3𝜋 𝜋
1) Answer: 4 radians
4

Solution: 3𝜋
𝑟𝑎𝑑𝑖𝑎𝑛𝑠 = 𝑛 (
180 °
) =
3𝜋 180 °
( ) convert radians to degrees
4 𝜋 4 𝜋

540 °
=( ) simplify further
4

= 135°

𝛼 = 180° − 𝛼 since 135° is in quadrant II

= 180° − 135° simplify further

= 45°
6
𝜋 𝜋
45° = 𝑛 ( ) = 45 ( ) we use the second expression since its degrees to radians
180 180
 𝜋 𝜋
45° = 𝑛 ( ) = 45 ( ) convert degrees to radians
180 180

45𝜋
= reduced into its lowest terms
180

𝜋
= radians
4

Or you can simply have this:

3𝜋
𝛼 = 180° − 𝛼 since we know that is in quadrant II
4

𝛼 = 𝜋−𝛼 we know that 𝜋 = 180°

3𝜋 4𝜋 − 3𝜋
𝛼=𝜋− =
4 4
𝜋
𝛼 = radians
4

2) 210° Answer: 30°

Solution: 𝛼 = 𝜃 − 180° since 210° is in quadrant III

= 210° − 180° simplify further

= 30°

3) 422° Answer: ______________

Solution:

----------------------------------------------- ANSWERS & SOLUTION ----------------------------------------------

Units of Measurement of Angles

1
1) rotation, clockwise
4

Solution: 1
= (360°) ( ) since 1 full rotation is 360°
4

= 90°

Final answer: −90° since it is clockwise

1
2) rotation, counterclockwise
2

Solution: = (360°) ( )
1
since 1 full rotation is 360°
2

= 180°

Final answer: 180° since it is counterclockwise

7
 3
3) rotation, clockwise
5

Solution: = (360°) ( )
3
since 1 full rotation is 360°
5

= 216°

Final answer: −216° since it is clockwise

4
4) rotation, counterclockwise
3

Solution: = (360°) ( )
4
since 1 full rotation is 360°
3

= 480°

Final answer: 480° since it is counterclockwise

3
5) rotation, clockwise
4

Solution: = (360°) ( )
3
since 1 full rotation is 360°
4

= 270°

Final answer: −270° since it is clockwise

Converting Radians to Degrees (Vice Versa)

1) −405°

Solution: −405° = 𝑛 (
𝜋
) = −405 (
𝜋
) we use the second expression since its degrees to radians
180 180

−405𝜋
= reduced into its lowest terms
180

9𝜋
=− radians
4

18𝜋
2) − radians
3

Solution: 18𝜋 180 ° 18𝜋 180 °

− 𝑟𝑎𝑑𝑖𝑎𝑛𝑠 = 𝑛 ( ) =− ( ) we use the first expression since its radians to degrees
3 𝜋 3 𝜋

−3240 °
=( ) simplify further
3

= −1080°

Coterminal Angles

1) 151°

Solution: 𝑓(1) = [𝜃 + (1)(360)]° 𝑛 = 1 since we are looking for the positive coterminal angle

= [151 + (1)(360)]° simplify further

= [151 + 360]°

= 511°
8
 𝑓(−1) = [𝜃 + (−1)(360)]° 𝑛 = −1 since we are looking for the negative coterminal angle

= [151 + (−1)(360)]° simplify further

= [151 − 360]°

= −209°

Reference Angle

1) 422°

Solution: 𝛼=𝜃 since 422° is in quadrant I

= 422° − 360° since 422° is more than 1 full rotation, we subtract it with 360° to get the acute angle

= 62°

References:

1. Garces, I.L. (2016): Teaching Guide for Senior High School PRECALCULUS Commission on
Higher Education: Philippines
2. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ujS6520gt0Y