Angle Units Explained
Angles can be measured in several units depending on the field. The most common are degrees (°) for everyday use, radians (rad) for mathematics and physics, and gradians (gon) for surveying.
Degrees vs Radians
A full circle is 360° or 2π radians. Radians are the SI-derived unit and are required in most mathematical and scientific formulas. The conversion: radians = degrees × π / 180.
Arcminutes and Arcseconds
Used in astronomy and GPS coordinates, 1° = 60 arcminutes (′) = 3 600 arcseconds (″). GPS latitude/longitude is often expressed in degrees, minutes and decimal seconds (DMS format).
Gradians (Gon)
The gradian system divides a right angle into 100 parts, making the full circle 400 gon. It is used in land surveying and civil engineering across Europe. A slope of 1% equals 0.01 gon ≈ 0.573°.
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