Degree to Radian Converter

A degree (°) is a unit of angular measurement equal to 1/360 of a full rotation. It divides a complete circle into 360 equal parts, making it one of the most widely used angle measurements.

The degree system originated with ancient Babylonian astronomers around 2000 BCE, who used a base-60 number system and divided the circle into 360 degrees. This choice was influenced by their calendar of approximately 360 days and the convenience of 360 being divisible by many numbers. The system was later adopted by Greek astronomers and has remained standard ever since.

Degrees are universally used in navigation, surveying, engineering, architecture, and everyday applications. They're standard for compass bearings, geographic coordinates (latitude/longitude), construction angles, and in most educational contexts. Weather reports, GPS systems, and most angle-measuring tools use degrees.

A radian (rad) is the standard unit of angular measurement in mathematics and physics, defined as the angle subtended at the center of a circle by an arc equal in length to the radius. One full rotation equals 2π radians.

The radian was first used by mathematician Roger Cotes in 1714, though the term 'radian' wasn't coined until 1873 by James Thomson. It became the preferred unit in mathematical analysis because it simplifies many formulas in calculus and trigonometry, eliminating conversion factors that appear when using degrees.

Radians are essential in advanced mathematics, physics, engineering calculations, and computer programming. They're used in calculus, trigonometric functions, wave analysis, rotational mechanics, and scientific computing. Most programming languages and mathematical software use radians as the default angle unit.