Understanding angles is essential in geometry, and two common units for measuring angles are degrees and radians. A full circle measures 360 degrees, while in radians, a full circle is represented as \(2\pi\) radians. The concept of radians is based on the relationship between the radius of a circle and its circumference, which is calculated using the formula \(C = 2\pi r\), where \(r\) is the radius. One radian is defined as the angle created when the arc length is equal to the radius, approximately equal to 57 degrees.
To convert between degrees and radians, two key formulas are used. To convert degrees to radians, multiply the degree measure by \(\frac{\pi}{180}\). Conversely, to convert radians to degrees, multiply by \(\frac{180}{\pi}\). For example, to convert 120 degrees to radians, the calculation would be:
\[120 \times \frac{\pi}{180} = \frac{120\pi}{180} = \frac{2\pi}{3} \text{ radians}\]
This shows that 120 degrees is equivalent to \(\frac{2\pi}{3}\) radians. Similarly, to convert an angle given in radians, such as \(\frac{6\pi}{5}\), to degrees, the calculation would be:
\[\frac{6\pi}{5} \times \frac{180}{\pi} = \frac{6 \times 180}{5} = 216 \text{ degrees}\]
Thus, \(\frac{6\pi}{5}\) radians is equal to 216 degrees. Mastering these conversions is crucial as radians are often used in higher-level mathematics, particularly in calculus and trigonometry, where functions and graphing are discussed.
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