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Understanding and Sketching Angles

Mar 18, 2025

Lecture Notes: Angles

Definition of an Angle

  • An angle is formed by two rays with a common vertex.
  • Initial Side: One ray of the angle.
  • Terminal Side: The other ray of the angle.
  • Direction and Amount of Rotation: Shown by a curved arrow from initial to terminal side.
    • Counterclockwise Rotation: Positive angle.
    • Clockwise Rotation: Negative angle.

Standard Position of an Angle

  • Vertex: Located at the origin of a rectangular coordinate system.
  • Initial Side: Coincides with the positive x-axis.
  • Example:
    • Angle Theta (θ) in quadrant 1 with counterclockwise rotation is positive.
    • Angle Theta (θ) in quadrant 3 with clockwise rotation is negative.

Sketching Angles in Standard Position

  • Axes Representation in Degrees:
    • Positive x-axis = 0°
    • Positive y-axis = 90°
    • Negative x-axis = 180°
    • Negative y-axis = 270°
    • Positive x-axis (full circle) = 360°

Example Angles

  1. 30 Degrees:

    • Quadrant 1, counterclockwise rotation.
    • Sketch with initial side and vertex same for all angles.
  2. Negative 120 Degrees:

    • Requires clockwise rotation.
    • Axes representation for negative rotation:
      • Negative y-axis = -90°
      • Negative x-axis = -180°
      • Positive y-axis = -270°
      • Positive x-axis (full circle) = -360°
    • Located in quadrant 3 because -120° is between -90° and -180°.
    • Identify rotation with a curved arrow clockwise.
  3. 450 Degrees:

    • Recognize that 450° is greater than 360°.
    • Start with vertex and initial side at the positive x-axis, rotate counterclockwise.
    • Mark the positive y-axis as 450° (360° + 90°).
    • Terminal side on positive y-axis.
    • Identify full revolution plus additional rotation with a curved arrow covering 360° and additional 90° (total 450°).
  • Note: For angles greater or less than one full circle (360°), mark extra revolutions and directions accordingly. For negative angles like -450°, use clockwise rotation.