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42 - Reference-Angles

The document discusses reference angles for angles in standard position. A reference angle is defined as the positive acute angle formed by the x-axis and the terminal side of the given angle. Reference angles will always measure between 0 and 90 degrees or 0 and π/2 radians. The reference angle depends on the quadrant of the given angle, and formulas are provided to calculate the reference angle based on the quadrant. An example then demonstrates calculating the reference angle for an angle in radians and another example for an angle in degrees.

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doaaayman784
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47 views

42 - Reference-Angles

The document discusses reference angles for angles in standard position. A reference angle is defined as the positive acute angle formed by the x-axis and the terminal side of the given angle. Reference angles will always measure between 0 and 90 degrees or 0 and π/2 radians. The reference angle depends on the quadrant of the given angle, and formulas are provided to calculate the reference angle based on the quadrant. An example then demonstrates calculating the reference angle for an angle in radians and another example for an angle in degrees.

Uploaded by

doaaayman784
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Reference angles

We’ve talked about coterminal angles a couple of times now. First, we


looked at the set of coterminal angles in general for an angle θ. And we
said that the set of all possible coterminal angles of θ could be defined by

α = θ + n(360∘) or α = θ + n(2π)

for any integer n. Second, we looked at how to find a coterminal angle in a


particular interval. It’s true that we usually want the coterminal angle that’s
both positive, and within one full rotation [0∘,360∘) or [0,2π), but other times
we’ll want to find a coterminal angle within some other specified angle
interval.

The reference angle

And now that we’re familiar with coterminal angles, and how to find them
for both positive and negative angles, and for angles that are within one
full rotation and outside of one full rotation, we want to turn our attention
toward a closely related concept: the reference angle.

A reference angle for an angle θ in standard position is the positive acute


angle formed by the x-axis and the terminal side of θ. Because reference
angles are always positive and always acute, that means reference angles
will always measure between 0∘ and 90∘, or between 0 and π /2 radians.

If β is the reference angle for θ, we can sketch examples of θ and β in each


quadrant.

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As we can see from the figure, the measure of the reference angle will
depend on the quadrant of the angle. For example, for an angle in
quadrant II, β = 180∘ − θ in degrees or β = π − θ in radians. But for an angle in
quadrant III, β = θ − 180∘ in degrees or β = θ − π in radians.

Let’s summarize these reference angle formulas in a table.

θ’s quadrant β in radians β in degrees

I β=θ β=θ

II β =π−θ β = 180∘ − θ

III β =θ−π β = θ − 180∘

IV β = 2π − θ β = 360∘ − θ

Notice that all of the θ angles in the figure are positive angles (they rotate
in the positive, counterclockwise direction). In order to use the equations
in the table above to find the reference angle, we need θ to be positive. If
we have an angle θ that’s negative, then we need to first find the positive
coterminal angle, and then use that positive angle to find the reference
angle.

Let’s do an example where we find a reference angle in radians.

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Example

What is the reference angle for θ = 2π /3?

The angle θ = 2π /3 is in the second quadrant, which means the reference


angle β is

β =π−θ

2π
β=π−
3

3π 2π
β= −
3 3
π
β=
3

Let’s do an example with an angle in degrees.

Example

What is the reference angle for θ = − 750∘?

The angle θ = − 750∘ is two full rotations of 360∘ in the negative direction,
and then an extra 30∘ in the negative direction, which means the angle is

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coterminal with θ = − 30∘. We want to convert this to a positive angle,
which we can do by adding the negative angle to 360∘.

α = 360∘ + (−30∘)

α = 360∘ − 30∘

α = 330∘

So the angle θ = − 750∘ is coterminal with θ = − 30∘, which is coterminal with


α = 330∘. Now that we have a positive coterminal angle, we can find the
reference angle.

Since α = 330∘ is in the fourth quadrant, the reference angle β is

β = 360∘ − α

β = 360∘ − 330∘

β = 30∘

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