Why Radians?

By James D. Nickel
1
This essay is a brief summary of the mathematics of angle measurement.
The Greek geometer Euclid (ca. 300 BC) defined a plane angle (two A
dimensions) as “the inclination to one another of two lines in a plane which
meet one another and do not lie in a straight line.” A little esoteric, isn’t it?
Using modern terminology, we first define a ray as “half of a line; it has
one endpoint with the other end extending to infinity.” In the figure, we see
→ → θ
two rays: CA and CB . Next, an angle is defined as “the union of two rays C
with a common endpoint.” In the figure, the common endpoint is C. What B
does the word “union” mean? To answer this, we must differentiate between
identification and measurement. For example, in the figure, we identify the line segment between points C and
A as CA or AC . The distance between these two points is a measurement (in geometry, this distance is
symbolized as CA or AC). With angles, we identify them in a variety of ways. We can identify the angle in the
figure as (C, (ACB, (BCA, or θ (The Greek letter “theta”). To measure this angle, we must measure its
→ → → →
“sweep” from CB to CA (counterclockwise), or from CA to CB (clockwise). Hence, union could mean
identification or measurement depending on what we are after. In what way do we measure angles?
The ancient Babylonians divided the circle into 360 equal parts to help
them measure angles. Historians are unable to establish with certainty the
ultimate reasons for this but it is likely related to their use of the sexagesimal
(base 60) system. Some have conjectured the reason to be that 360 is near the 60°
number of days in one year. Others have noted that a circle divides naturally
into six equal parts, each subtending a chord2 equal to the measure of the
circle’s radius.
The figure at right shows six equilateral triangles formed by a regular
hexagon inscribed in a circle. Each angle of the triangle consists of 60 parts of
360. One of these parts is called a degree (the symbol is °).3 Each degree can be
further divided into sixty parts (called minutes4: the symbol is ′) and each minute can be divided into sixty parts
(called seconds5: the symbol is ″). With precision instruments, we can measure degrees, in base 60, to fractions
of a second; e.g., 60°14′15.25″.
The scholars of the French revolution (late 18th century) tried to decimalize angle measurement but it was
not a success.6 A remnant of this thrust is contained in the grad measure (based upon a circle divided into 400

1 The source for much of the information in this essay is the excellent book by Eli Maor, Trigonometric Delights (Princeton: Princeton
University Press, 1998).
2 A chord is a line segment that connects two points on a circle. To subtend means to “extend under.” A chord is a function of the

angle it subtends at the center.

3 The ancient Greeks used μοιρα (moira) to represent one part of 360. Islamic scholars translated this word into daraja and this word

became de gradus in Latin. The journey to the English degrees is one simple step from the Latin.
4 The Ancient Greeks called a sixtieth part of a degree the “first part.” Latin scholars translated this as pars minuta prima (first small

part). Hence, the minute.

5 The Ancient Greeks called a sixtieth part of the first part the “second part.” Latin scholars translated this as pars minuta secunda

(second small part). Hence, the second.

6 They also tried a ten-day week for a while but that idea failed too.

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 Why Radians?
By James D. Nickel
1
equal parts). One grad is therefore equal to of a circle. Hence, 90°, the measure of a right angle, is 100
400
grads.
The latest unit of angular measure is the radian or circular
measure. James Thomson, brother of the renowned physicist
Radian

y-axis
William Thomson or Lord Kelvin (1824-1907), first used
measure
this word in 1871 (it is derived from radius). Radians
B
(abbreviated rad) measure the length of a circular arc (a part of
the perimeter or circumference of the circle) and it is the p=s
mBC
standard angular measure in the International System of Units r
r =s
(SI). In the figure, the measure of arc BC (symbol: mBC p )7
can be in degrees or in radians. If in radians, the length of θ
A r C x-axis
that arc is the measure of (BAC; i.e., ∠BAC = θ.
One radian is the angle, measured at the center of a
circle, that subtends an arc length of one radius along the
circle’s circumference. In the figure, θ = 1 rad. r is the
radius of the circle and r = 1. Hence, r = mBC p and if
p = s , then r = s.
mBC
Since the circumference of a circle measures 2π radii (c
= 2πr) and since each of these radii corresponds to a central angle of 1 radian (where r = 1), then 360° = 2π
π π 2π π
rad. Therefore, 180° = π rad, 90° = rad, and 45° = rad. 1° = = ≈ 0.01745 rad and 1 rad ≈
2 4 360 180
57.2958°.
Why use radians? The primary reason is that it simplifies many formulas. For example, from geometry we
know this proportion: the ratio of the circumference of a circle (C = 2πr) to 2π rad is the same as the ratio of
2 πr s s
the arc length s to θ (in rad). In symbols, = ⇒ r = ⇒ s = rθ.8 If θ is in degrees, this formula would
2π θ θ
πrθ π
not be as compact or as beautiful in its simplicity; it would be s = where is the extra factor.
180 180
Similarly, the ratio of the area of a circle (A = πr2) to 2π rad is the same as the ratio of the area of a circular
πr 2 A r2 A r 2θ
sector to θ (in rad). We let A = the area of this sector. In symbols,
9
= ⇒ = ⇒ A= . If θ is in
2π θ 2 θ 2
πr 2 θ π
degrees, this formula becomes A = (again, is the extra factor).
360 180
We also note that, for a small angle θ (in rad), sin θ = θ. Note, sin 1° = 0.174524064. When we convert 1°
π
to radians, we get 1° = ≈ 0.174532925. We have agreement to the ten-thousandths place. When using the
180

7 p identifies the arc on the circle from point B to point C.

BC
8 If r = 1 (the unit circle), then s = r.
9 In a circle, a sector is a region bounded by two radii of the circle and by the arc of the circle whose endpoints lie on those radii.

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 Why Radians?
By James D. Nickel
sin θ
limit notation of the calculus, we get: lim = 1 . Because of this and other reasons, radian measure engenders
θ→0 θ

efficiency and beauty in the calculus and that is why it is used.

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