Re: [MATHEDCC] Why radians?

Jay Malmstrom (malmstrm@QNS.COM)
Mon, 01 Nov 1999 17:35:02 -0600

Martin Kalmar wrote:

> When students ask (not often enough) why do we need to measure angles in radians, I know of no other answer than it makes things very convenient in calculus. This is fine for my calculus students who can see what the derivatives of trig functions would look like without radians, but what other answer can I give my pre-calculus students?
>
> Does anyone know of other good reasons for using radians?
>
> Does anyone know the history of radian measure? Who first used it and why?
>
> Martin Kalmar
> Frederick Community College
> Frederick, Md.
> mkalmar@fcc.cc.md.us
>
> ****************************************************************************
> * To post to the list: email mathedcc@archives.math.utk.edu *
> * To unsubscribe, send mail to: majordomo@archives.math.utk.edu *
> * In the mail message, enter ONLY the words: unsubscribe mathedcc *
> * Words in the Subject: line are NOT processed! *
> * Archives at http://archives.math.utk.edu/hypermail/mathedcc/ *
> ****************************************************************************

Why radians? Becasue its a numerical measure - in a unit circle, the arc length swept out by an angle of measure t is also t.

Jay Malmstrom
Oklahoma City Community College

****************************************************************************
* To post to the list: email mathedcc@archives.math.utk.edu *
* To unsubscribe, send mail to: majordomo@archives.math.utk.edu *
* In the mail message, enter ONLY the words: unsubscribe mathedcc *
* Words in the Subject: line are NOT processed! *
* Archives at http://archives.math.utk.edu/hypermail/mathedcc/ *
****************************************************************************