Britannica
Sources used in this answer
How are degrees converted to radians?
Created from Britannica articles
using AI.
AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
trigonometry
Based on the definitions, various simple relationships exist among the functions. For example, csc A = 1/sin A, sec A = 1/cos A, cot A = 1/tan A, and tan A = sin A/cos A.
To convert an angle from degrees to radians, you use the relationship between the two units of measure. Since a complete revolution is equal to both 360° and radians, it follows that 180° is equal to radians.12
To perform the conversion, multiply the degree measure by the factor :
For example, to convert 90° to radians:
The radian is considered the most convenient unit for theoretical work in trigonometry because it is defined by the angle at the centre of a circle that intercepts an arc equal in length to the radius.1