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40 - Coterminal-Angles-In-A-Particular-Interval
40 - Coterminal-Angles-In-A-Particular-Interval
interval
We’ve been looking at finding the coterminal angle within the interval that
defines one positive full rotation, namely, [0∘,360∘) or [0,2π). But we can
actually look for coterminal angles in any interval.
Let’s do an example with an angle in degrees so that we can see how this
process works.
Example
Find the angle in the interval (−900∘, − 540∘] that's coterminal with 247∘.
The interval (−900∘, − 540∘] is a full 360∘ rotation. Notice how, because we
have a parenthesis around the −900∘ and a bracket around the −540∘, it
means that the angle −900∘ exactly isn’t included in the interval, but the
angle −540∘ exactly is included.
We’ll let θ = 247∘, and then we’ll say that α is the coterminal angle that lies
within (−900∘, − 540∘]. Then we can say
110
But since α is coterminal with θ, we substitute α = θ + n(360∘) into the
inequality.
α = 247∘ + (−3)(360∘)
α = 247∘ − 1,080∘
α = − 833∘
Example
Find the angle in the interval [−π, π) that's coterminal with 56π /3.
We’ll let θ = 56π /3 and α be the angle within [−π, π) that's coterminal with θ.
We'll use α = θ + n(2π) and solve for the value of n that makes α lie in that
interval.
111
−π ≤ α < π
−π ≤ θ + n(2π) < π
56π
−π ≤ + n(2π) < π
3
59π 53π
− ≤ n(2π) < −
3 3
56π
α= + (−9)(2π)
3
56π 54π
α= −
3 3
2π
α=
3
112