UNIT CIRCLE

Background Information for Learners

1.Angles in a Unit Circle

In trigonometry, one basic idea that you need to recall is the angle. It is formed by rotating a ray
around its endpoint. The initial side of the angle is the initial position of the ray, while the
terminal side of the angle is the location of the ray at the end of its rotation. Remember that the
vertex of the angle is the endpoint of the ray (see Figure 1.1). The angle is said to be positive if
its rotation is counterclockwise while it is negative if its rotation is clockwise (see Figure 1.2).

Figure 1.1 Figure 1.2

Source: courses.lumenlearning.com

If the vertex of an angle is at the origin of a coordinate system and its initial side is along the
positive x-axis, then the angle is in standard position and is said to lie in the quadrant where its
terminal side lies. For example, an obtuse angle is in the second quadrant and an acute angle is in
the first quadrant. Figure 1.3 shows angles in standard position.

QII QI

QIII QIV

Figure 1.3
Source: courses.lumenlearning.com
For example,
Find the quadrants for each of the following angles.
(a) 100̊ (b) -30̊ (c) 270̊

Solution:
(a) The angle is in quadrant II.
(b) The angle is in quadrant IV.
(c) An angle of 270̊ is not in any quadrant, since its terminal side lies along the y-axis.

There are two systems that are commonly used for measuring the size of angles. These are the
degree and the radian. In using the degree measure, assign 360 degrees to a complete rotation of
a ray. In figure 1.4, when it makes a complete rotation, notice that the terminal side of the ray
corresponds with its initial side.

Source: courses.lumenlearning.com
Figure 1.4

Angles are measured using a tool called a protractor and with the advent of technology like the
calculator, it is now common to measure angles in decimal degrees. For example, 21.2483̊
represents
2483 ̊
21.2483̊ = 21 10,000 .

But conventionally, we measure portions of a degree with minutes and seconds. One minute,
1
written 1ʹ, is 60 of a degree:
1◦
1ʹ = 60 or 60ʹ = 1̊
1
while one second, written 1ʺ, is 60
of a minute:
1ʹ 1 ◦
1ʺ = = or 60ʺ = 1ʹ.
60 3600
Take a look at these examples:
(a) Convert 41.817̊ to degrees, minutes, seconds.
41.817̊ = 41̊ + .817̊
= 41̊ + (.817) (60ʹ)
= 41̊ + 49.02ʹ
 = 41̊ + 49ʹ + .02ʹ
= 41̊ + 49ʹ + (.02) (60ʺ)
= 41̊ + 49ʹ + 1ʺ (rounded)
= 41̊ 49ʹ1ʺ

(b) Convert 37̊ 28ʹ 15ʺ to decimal degrees. Round to the nearest thousandth.
28◦ 15 ◦
37̊ 28ʹ 15ʺ = 37̊ + 60 + 3600
= 37̊ + .4667̊ + .0042̊
= 37.471̊ (rounded).

In Pre-Calculus, the Unit Circle is probably one of the most important concepts you will use
because of its purpose to visually represent certain “special angles” for which the exact values of
trigonometric functions are identified quickly. The fact that we are calling it a “unit” circle
means it has a radius of 1 and is centered at the origin (0,0) in the xy-plane. Figure 1.5, along
with a circle of radius r, shows an angle θ in standard position where the vertex of θ is at the
center of the circle. A central angle of the unit circle that intercepts an arc of the circle with
length 1 unit is said to have a measure of one radian, written 1 rad.

Figure 1.5 The radius of the

circle is equal to the
length of the arc cut
by θ. Hence, θ
measures 1 rad.

Source: www.digimath.com

The circumference of a circle is given by the formula C=2ℼr, where r is the radius, which means
that the radius can be laid off 2ℼ times around a circle. Since a complete circle measures 360̊
which cuts an arc equal in length to 2ℼ times the radius of the circle, then an angle of 360̊ has a
measure of 2ℼ radians which we can write as just
360̊ = 2ℼ.
Half the size of an angle of 360̊ is an angle of 180̊. Hence, an angle of 180̊ would have half the
radian measure of an angle of 360̊
1
180̊ = 2 (2ℼ) radians
180̊ = ℼ radians.
 180 ℼ
Since ℼ radians = 180̊, we can divide both sides by ℼ which gives us 1 radian = ℼ or 1̊ = 180 .
Angle measures can be converted back and forth between degrees and radians by either of the
following methods:
1. Formulas:
FROM TO MULTIPLY BY
Degrees Radians ℼ
180
Radians Degrees 180
ℼ
2. Proportion:
������ ������� ������ �������
=
180 ℼ
Take a look at these examples.
(a) Convert 45̊ to radians.
ℼ 45 ℼ ℼ
Using the formula, we have 45̊ = 45̊ 180
= 180 = 4
�������.
45 ������ �������
By the proportion method: 180 = ℼ
. Multiplying both sides by ℼ gives us
45 ℼ ℼ
180
= 4.
9ℼ
(b) Convert 4
to degrees.
9ℼ 9ℼ 180
Using the formula, we have 4
������� =
4 ℼ
= 405̊.

2. Coterminal Angles
Coterminal Angles are two angles in standard position that have the same initial side and the
same terminal side. Note that the degree measures of coterminal angles differ by multiples of 360̊
while the radian measures of coterminal angles differ by multiples of 2ℼ. Figure 2.1 have
measures 110̊ and 830̊. These two angles have the same initial side and the same terminal side,
but different amount of rotations.

Figure 2.1
Here are some examples.
1. Find the angles of smallest possible positive measure coterminal with the following
angles.
(a) 420̊
 Hint: Add or subtract 360̊ as many times as needed to get an angle with measure at least 0̊
but less than 360̊. Here, 420̊ - 360̊ = 60̊. Thus, an angle of 60̊ is coterminal with an angle
of 420̊.
(b) -85̊
Here, we need a rotation of 360̊ + (-85̊) = 275̊.

2. Find the angle coterminal with -400̊ that has measure

(a) between 0̊ and 360̊
Hint: A negative angle moves clockwise, and the angle -400̊ lies in Quadrant IV. We
have, -400̊ + (2 x 360̊) = 320̊
(b) between -360̊ and 0̊
Here, we have -400̊ + 360̊ = -40̊.
Learning Competencies
● Illustrate the unit circle and the relationship between the linear and angular measures of a
central angle in a unit circle (STEM_PC11T-IIa-1);
● Convert degree measure to radian measure and vice versa (STEM_PC11T-IIa-2); and
● Illustrate angles in standard position and coterminal angles (STEM_PC11T-IIa-3).

Directions:
Activity 1. Convert the following decimal degrees to degrees, minutes, seconds and vice versa.
1. 58.21 4. 64 3ʹ 14ʺ
2. 132.234 5. 120 52ʹ 6ʺ
3. 118.002 6. 2 12ʹ 18ʺ

Activity 2. Convert each degree measure to radians and vice versa.

9ℼ
1. 78 5. 4 �������
2. 235 6. 0.518 radians
11ℼ
3. 38 14ʹ 24ʺ 7. 3 �������
4. 256 11ʹ 24ʺ 8. 0.97682 radians

Activity 3. Use the Unit Circle below to show all the angles measured in both degrees and
radians. Write at least 10.

Activity 4. Illustrate the following angles in standard position and determine the quadrant for
each angle.
1. 220 3. -125
 9ℼ 4ℼ
2. 4
4. − 3

Activity 5.1. Find the angles of smallest possible positive measure coterminal with the following
angles.
1. -60 3. -92
2. 830 4. 1000

Activity 5.2
1. Find the angle between 0 and 360 (if in degrees) or between 0 and 2ℼ rad (if in radians) that
is coterminal with the given angle.
13 ℼ
(a) 742 (b) -31 40ʹ 32ʺ (c) 4
2. Find the angle between -360 and 0 (if in degrees) or between -2ℼ rad and 0 (if in radians) that
is coterminal with the given angle.
ℼ
(a) 155 (b) -420 30ʹ 18ʺ (c) 3
 CIRCULAR FUNCTIONS ON REAL NUMBERS

Background Information for Learners

If we consider the angle  in standard position, then  is in the first quadrant and we would
have the following:
Y

Pr ( )  ( x , y )
hypotenuse = r y = opposite side of  x = adjacent side of 

-r
 x adj r hyp
cos    sec   
r hyp x adj
y opp r hyp
sin    csc   
r hyp y opp
y opp x adj
tan    cot   
x adj y opp

Examples
Find the exact value of the six trigonometric functions for the following
angles.

1.

Using the Pythagorean Theorem to find the length of the hypotenuse, we have that the length of

the hypotenuse is
4  25  29 . Thus, we have that
adj 2 hyp 29
cos    sec   
hyp 29 adj 2
opp 5 hyp 29
sin    csc   
hyp 29 opp 5
opp 5 adj 2
tan    cot   
adj 2 opp 5
2

8
 �

Using the Pythagorean Theorem to find the length of the second side, we have that the length of

the second side is

64  16  48  4 3 . Thus, we have that

adj 4 3 3 2
cos     sec  
hyp 8 2 3
opp 4 1
sin    
hyp 8 2 csc   2
opp 4 1
tan    
adj 4 3 3 cot   3
Learning Competency with code
The learner is able to illustrate the different circular functions (STEM_PC11T-IIb-
1_QUARTER 2, WEEK 3)

Exercise A
Directions: Use a right triangle to find the exact value of the other five trigonometric functions if
given the following.
3
sin  
1. 7 and
 is an acute angle

2. tan   6 and  is an acute angle

12
sec  
3. 5 and  is an acute angle
Exercise B

Complete the following tables.

Radian 8 3 
5
Measure 3 4 6
Degree
330 450 −135 240
Measure

Sin

Cos

Tan

Cot

Sec

Csc
 Radian 3 7 13 7
 
Measure 2 3 4 4
Degree
540 150 −210 270
Measure

Sin

Cos

Tan

Cot

Sec
Csc

Exercise C

3
0<< 
(1) Sin(  ) = 5 , 2 . Find the remaining 5 trig. functions of  .

4
  <<
(2) Cos(  ) = 5, 2 . Find the remaining 5 trig. functions of  .

12
 <  < 3
(3) Tan(  ) = 5 , 2 . Find the remaining 5 trig. functions of  .

7
3 <  < 2 

(4) Sec( ) = 5 , 2 . Find the remaining 5 trig. functions of  .

7

(5) Csc(  ) = 3 , 180<  < 270. Find the remaining 5 trig. functions of  .
  
(6) Cot(  ) =  2 , 270 <  < 360 . Find the remaining 5 trig. functions of  .

24

(7) Sin(  ) = 25 , 180<  < 270. Find the remaining 5 trig. functions of  .
(8) Find the values of the six trig. functions of θ, if θ is an angle in standard position with the
point (4 , −3) on its terminal ray