Radian to Gradian Converter

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.

A gradian (grad), also called a gon, is a unit of angular measurement where a full rotation is divided into 400 gradians. One gradian equals 1/400 of a complete circle, making a right angle equal to 100 gradians.

The gradian was introduced during the French Revolution as part of the metric system around 1795. It was designed to decimalize angle measurement, making calculations easier by using base-10 arithmetic. The system was promoted alongside other metric reforms but never achieved widespread adoption outside of surveying.

Gradians are primarily used in surveying and some European engineering applications. They're particularly common in land surveying in France, Germany, and other parts of Europe. Some surveying instruments and software support gradian measurements, though degrees remain more common globally.