Circular Measure

Definition of an Angle

An angle is formed by rotating a given line about its endpoint to some terminal position. The original
line is called the initial side of the angle, and the other line is the terminal side of the angle. The
common endpoint is called the vertex of the angle.

Terminal line

Vertex
Original line
There are several ways used to name angle.

1) to use letters especially Greek letters such as  ,  , 

The angle at the vertex is called

angle  or 

2)
P
From the diagram the angle can be named by its vertex

angle Q which is denoted as Q .

Or at times the name of the angle can take all the three
Q R endpoint such as angle PQR which is denoted as PQR

 . In this case whereby all three endpoints are used, the vertex is always in the middle meaning
or PQR
the name is for the angle at the vertex.

Angles which are usually formed by an anticlockwise rotation are considered to be positive angles and
angles formed by a clockwise rotation are considered to be negative angles.


negative
angle
positive
angle


The above information will serve as the basis to the work that will follow next throughout the chapter.

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The Degree Measure

The measure of an angle is determined by the amount of rotation of the initial side. An angle formed
by rotating the initial side in the anticlockwise direction exactly once until it coincides (one complete
revolution) is defined to have a measure of 360 degrees, which is abbreviated as 360 .

Angles are often classified according to their measure.

0
Angles of 180 are straight angle 360

Angles of 90 are right angles

Angles that have a measure greater than 0 but less than 90 are acute angles.

Angles that have a measure of greater than 90 but less than 180 are obtuse angles.
B
B B

B A
O O A O A O A
Straight Right Acute Obtuse

The Radian Measure

A
Another commonly used angle measurement is the radian. A radian is
s=r
defined as "the measure of the central angle subtended by an r
arc length r on a circle of radius r. The digram shows the angle of θ B
O r
ˆ   and the arc length s  r , thus as  is the central angle
AOB

  is the measure of 1 radian.

The notation for radian is 'rad' or ' c ' , therefore 1 radian can be written as 1 rad or 1c .
From the definition above for radian, it follows that the number of radians in a complete revolution is
the number of time the radius divides into circumference the circumference. Thus, it follows that the
circumference of a circle is of length 2 r , so the number of radians in a revolution is such that

2 r
Number of radian   2
r

As a complete revolution is 360 , then it is clear that

 2 radians  3600

This gives rise to a very useful concept that :

 rad  180
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  3
Therefore it is clear that rad  90 or  135 , there is no doubt that it is possible to change the
2 4
two measures of angles (Degree and Radian) from one form to the other.

Changing Degree to Radian

If 180   rad then this gives rise to the fact that

180 
 rad
180 180



 1  rad
180
Hence then if  is an angle in degrees which need to change into radians. This can be done by using
the formula below:


   rad
180

Eg1 a: Express 75 in radians in terms of 

Solution

  750

Using     rad
180

75
 75   rad
180

5
 rad
12

b: Write 123 in radians giving the answer correct to 2 decimal places.

Solution

  1230

Using     rad
180

123
 123   rad
180

 2.15c (2dp)

From the two examples above it is clear that when expressing angles from degree to radian there are
some angles that can be given as a fraction of  and others as decimal to as reasonable approximation.

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By same reasoning it is possible to change angle measure from radians to degrees by a similar approach
to the one above.

Changing Radians to Degrees

If  rad  180 then this gives rise to the fact that

180 180
 rad
180 

180
 1c 

Hence then if  is an angle in radians which need to change into degrees. This can be done by using
the formula below:

c 180
  

5
Eg2 a: Express rad in degrees giving the exact value
6
Solution

5

6

180
Using  c  

5 180 5
 = 
6  6

 150

b: Write 4.32c in degrees giving the answer correct to 1 decimal place.

Solution

  4.32c

180
Using  c  

180
 4.32c   4.32


 247.5 (1dp)

The measure of angles in radians are very useful for many calculations especially involving circles.
Two important theorems are the calculation for length of arc and area of sector.
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The Length of Arc When  is in Radians.

Consider a circle of radius r which subtends an angle   at the centre O between two radii
A
forming the arc AB. As the angle is measured in degrees then the length
r
of the arc is given by such that
θ B
O r

The length of arc AB   2 r
360


But earlier above it was seem that  rad   2 , thus, therefore replacing this in the formula for
360
the length of arc above to give


The length of arc AB   2 r
360
 r rad

The formula is only used when the angle is measured in radian otherwise if the angle is measured in
degree then it needs to be converted into radian first.

1
Eg3: Find in terms of  , the length of the arc that subtends an angle of  radians
6
at the centre of a circle of radius 4 cm.
Solution A
As the angle is measured in radian, 1
4 cm 
6
 the length of arc AB  r rad B
O
1
 4 
6

2
  cm
3

Eg4: A circle has a radius of 10 cm. Find the length of the arc intercepted by a

central angle of 134

Solution P


The radius is 10 and   134 ,     134  2.339c 10 cm 1 3 4 0
180 O Q
 the length of arc PQ  r rad

 10  2.339c

 23.39 cm
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The Area of Sector When  is in Radians.

By same consideration to the length of an arc for a circle of radius r which subtends an angle   at the
A
centre O between two radii forming a sector with an enclosed area AOB

r
As the angle is measured in degrees then the area of the sector is given
θ B
by such that O r


The area of area AOB   r2
360

As 360  2 , thus, therefore replacing this in the formula for the area of the circle to give:


The area of arc AOB   r2
2

1
 r 2 rad
2
Again the use of the formula works only when the angle is measured in radian and if the angle is
measured in degree then it needs to be converted into radian first.
Eg5: Calculate the area of the sector PQR of a circle centre O, radius 6 cm,

5
in which the angle PQR  rad
3 P
Solution
5
5 rad
R
The radius is 6 cm,   rad 3
3 Q 6

1
The area of the sector PQR  r 2 rad
2

1 5
  6 2   30 cm 2
2 3

Eg5: A circular disc of radius 12cm is made up of three sectors of metal; gold, brass and cupper.

If the sector of gold is 118 at the centre of the disc, calculate the area of the disc which are
gold.

Solution

The radius of the disc is 12 cm and the angle for the gold sector is 118 .
118 Gold
 rad=   2.059c
180 118
Brass
12 cm
1 1
The area of the gold sector  r 2 rad   122  2.059c  148.2 cm 2
2 2 Copper

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At times there are problems which require the use of both formulae to come up to their solutions.
These problems may request to find either the angle, the radius, the arc length or area of sector given
two of the above to find a third one.

Eg6: A circle of radius 13 cm subtends an arc of 34 cm at an angle of  c at its centre.

Calculate the area of the sector formed by the radii and the arc.

Solution

The arc has a length of 34 cm, the radius is 13 cm A

34
From the above it is possible to get the angle  c using
c B
 the length of arc AB  r rad O 13

34  13 c

34
c  rad
13

Now the angle of the sector is known then it is possible to find the area of the sector

using

1
the area of the gold sector  r 2 rad
2

1 34
  132  rad
2 13

 221 cm 2

Very often problems about length of arcs or area of sectors require a great deal of simple trigonometric
formulae of triangles. The follow trigonometric formulae need to be recalled at times when solving
problems involving arcs and sectors.

Trigonometric Formulae for Right angled Triangle

a) In the event where a right angled triangle has no known

angle then p
q

p 2  q2  r 2 (Pythagoras Theorem)
r
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 b) In the case when there is an angle of consideration say  ,

for  is such that 0    90 then

p q r q
q i) sin   ii) cos   iii) tan  
p p r
 (Trigonometric Ratios of Right angled triangles)
r

c) the area of right angled triangle is such that

1
Area of Right angled Triangle  qr
2 q

for which q and r are perpendicular to each other

r

Trigonometric Formulae for Non- Right Angled Triangle

a) For any non-right angled triangle for which pairs of opposite

angle and side are to be considered then

i) when calculating the missing side

p q r
  P
sin P sin Q sin R

ii) when calculating the missing angle q r

sin P sin Q sin R
 
p q r Q
R p
(Sine Rule)

b) For any non-right angled triangle for which the side opposite the angle formed by the
other two sides then
P
i) r 2  p 2  q 2  2 pq cos R (Cosine Rule)

q r
ii) The area of the triangle is given such that
R p Q 1
the area of  PQR  pq sin R
2
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Application of these trigonometric formulae to circular measure.

It is advisable that when solving problems involving circular measure that the mode of the scientific
calculator is in radian.

Eg7: The diagram show a circle of radius 15 cm and a chord AC of length 22 cm.
B
Calculate
22 C
A
a) the length of the arc ABC, 15
15
O
b) the area of the shaded region.

Solution

From the diagram the angle at the centre of the sector AOCB is not known but can be found.
Using the isosceles  AOC

11  11 
sin     = sin 1   rad 11 C
15  15  N
11

 0.8232c (4 dp) A 15
15 
AOC  2  AOC  1.6464c O

a) Arc length ABC  r

 15  1.6464c  24.7 cm (3 sf)

b) From the original diagram if angle AOC of the unshaded region is such that
AOC  1.6464c then the angle AOC of the shaded region is given by

2  1.6464c  4.6368c ( 360    )

1 2
 the area of the shaded sector  r
2

1
  152  4.6368c  522 cm 2 (3 sf)
2

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 Eg8: In the diagram of the sector AOB has a radius of 6 cm with a centre O.
The chord AB is 11 cm. Calculate
A
a) angle AOB in radians
b) the area of the shaded region 11
6

B
Solution 6
O

From the digram, AOB is known but can be found using  ABO

a) Let AOB   and use cosine rule A

112  62  62  2  6  6  cos  11

121  36  36  72 cos  6 B
121  72 6
cos   
72 O
 49 
 c  cos 1      c  2.319 (3 dp)
 72 

b) From original diagram, it is clear that the area of the shaded region

can be obtained by such that

Shaded Area = Area of Sector AOB  Area of  ABO

1 2 1
 Shaded Area  r   ab sin 
2 2

1 2 1

2
 6   2.319 rad    6  6  sin  2.319 rad 
2

 41.742  13.192

 28.6 cm 2 (3 sf)

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 Eg9: The figure shows a circle, centre O, radius 7 cm and two tangents TP and

TQ, each of length 10 cm. Calculate T

a) POQ 10

P 10
b) the length of the arc PAQ A
8
c) the area of the shaded region PAQT
O Q
8

Solution

From the diagram the POQ is not known but can found.

a) Consider the quadrilateral PTQO P 10 T

In  PTO 8


10 O 10
tan   8
8
Q
 10 
 c  tan 1     c  0.8961 rad
8 

 POQ  2  0.8961 rad  1.792 rad (3 dp)

b) As POQ   c  1.792 rad then the length of the arc PAQ is such

Arc length POQ  r c

 8  1.792  14.3 cm (3 sf)

c) Area of the shaded region = area of Kite PTQO  Area of Sector PAQ

1
 8  10   82  1.792 rad
2

 80  57.344  22.7 cm 2 (3 sf)

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 Eg10: The diagram shows two circles C1 and C2 , touching at A. Circle C1 has a
radius of 9 cm and centre X: circle C2 has a radius of 4 cm and centre Y.
A tangent touches the circles C1 and C2 , at point P and Q respectively.
Calculate the length of PQ and show that the angle PXY, to 3 decimal places,

is 1.176 radians. Find C1

a) the length of the mirror arc AP of circle C1 C2
X A
b) the length mirror arc AQ of circle C2 Y
9
4
c) the area of the shaded reegion
P Q

Solution
X
9
By considering the trapezium PXAYQ
5 A
4
2 2 2
 XY    BX    BY  B Y

2 4 4
132  52   BY 
P Q
2
 BY   144  BY  12 cm
BY 12
sin PXY  
XY 13

12
PXY rad  sin 1  PXY  1.176 rad (shown)
13

a) length of mirror arc AP  r

 9  1.176
 10.58 cm

b) length of mirror arc AQ  r     

 4     1.176 

 7.86 cm

c) Shaded region Area = Area of trapezium PXYQ  (area of sector APX + sector AYQ )

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 1 1 1
  4  9  24     92  1.176    42    1.176  
2 2 2 

 14.6 cm 2

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