Angles can be measured in degrees (°), where 1° 1 360 of a full revolution. However,
there are many occasions where an alternative unit for angle makes calculations far easier. You’ll remember from your Junior Cert. that the circumference of a circle is 2r.
Circumference of a circle 2r is true for all circles. It follows that the angle opened up by an arc of length 2r is 360°.
s r
By equating the length 2with the angle 360° a new unit of measuring was introduced. It is called the radian, and has been adopted as the standard unit of angular measurement.