Basics of Angles

Basics of Angles

IB AA SL: core and optional content

Core: angle units, rotation, reference angles and signs of sin, cos and tan. Optional: parenthetical cosec, cot and sec sign entries.

Measure rotations from the positive \(x\)-axis: anticlockwise is positive; clockwise is negative.

Basic angle

The reference angle \(\alpha\) is the acute angle to the \(x\)-axis. The quadrant determines the signs.

Degrees and radians

\(180^\circ=\pi\text{ rad}\)

ConversionRuleExample
Degrees to radians
Radians to degrees

\(90^\circ=\dfrac\pi2,\quad270^\circ=\dfrac{3\pi}2,\quad360^\circ=2\pi\).

Set the calculator to the angle unit used in the question.

Signs and quadrants

QuadrantPositive thereAngle \(\theta\) from basic angle \(\alpha\)Sketch
I
II
III
IV

Negative angles and full revolutions

SituationRuleExample
Negative angle (clockwise turn)
Beyond one revolution

In the periodic identities, \(k\in\mathbb Z\). Measure the basic angle from the \(x\)-axis.

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