Radians: Difference between revisions
>Mindraker Radian explanation for those unexposed to radians. |
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Radians are another way of describing angles, as opposed to using degrees. Something similar to Radians is used in everyday life, when we use fractions. We say, "I want a third of a piece of cake," not, "I want 120 degrees worth of cake." | Radians are another way of describing angles, as opposed to using degrees. Something similar to Radians is used in everyday life, when we use fractions. We say, "I want a third of a piece of cake," not, "I want 120 degrees worth of cake." | ||
For a basic idea of Radians to how much "cake" or "circle" you have, divide the radians by "2 pi". To convert how much "cake" or "circle" you have to Radians, multiply the "cake" (or circle) by "2 pi" | For a basic idea of Radians to how much "cake" or "circle" you have, divide the radians by "2 pi". To convert how much "cake" or "circle" you have to Radians, multiply the "cake" (or circle) by "2 pi": | ||
2pi => one whole circle | 2pi => one whole circle<br> | ||
pi => one half circle | pi => one half circle<br> | ||
pi/2 => one fourth circle | pi/2 => one fourth circle<br> | ||
2pi/5 => one-fifth circle | 2pi/5 => one-fifth circle<br> | ||
pi/3 => one-sixth circle | pi/3 => one-sixth circle<br> | ||
pi/4 => one-eighth circle | pi/4 => one-eighth circle<br> | ||
So, how much "cake" is pi/6? radians? => one-twelfth of a circle. | So, how much "cake" is pi/6? radians? => one-twelfth of a circle. | ||
Revision as of 13:27, 6 July 2008
This is a very basic explanation of Radians, if you have never been taught Radians before.
Radians are another way of describing angles, as opposed to using degrees. Something similar to Radians is used in everyday life, when we use fractions. We say, "I want a third of a piece of cake," not, "I want 120 degrees worth of cake."
For a basic idea of Radians to how much "cake" or "circle" you have, divide the radians by "2 pi". To convert how much "cake" or "circle" you have to Radians, multiply the "cake" (or circle) by "2 pi":
2pi => one whole circle
pi => one half circle
pi/2 => one fourth circle
2pi/5 => one-fifth circle
pi/3 => one-sixth circle
pi/4 => one-eighth circle
So, how much "cake" is pi/6? radians? => one-twelfth of a circle.
