# Thread: Convert to degree measure. HELP PLZ

1. ## Convert to degree measure. HELP PLZ

Convert to degree measure. Round to two decimal places, if necessary.
-1.287

how do you do this?

Convert to degree measure. Round to two decimal places, if necessary.
-1.287

how do you do this?
One radian is $\displaystyle \left( {\frac{\pi }{{180}}} \right)^ \circ$.
So multiply by that factor.

3. ## since 1 rad is 57.3

can i not just multiply the 1.287 by 57.3?

$\displaystyle -1.287$ radians $\displaystyle * \frac{180}{\pi} = -73.7396682$ degrees
For your purposes now, it will probably work, but you may regret it later when accuracy is important. To be honest, you could have memorized the right way in the time it took you to read this post. Just remember $\displaystyle \frac{180}{\pi}$ and $\displaystyle \frac{\pi}{180}$
To separate them in your mind, 1 simple rule: radians have $\displaystyle \pi$ in them, so to get out of radians you need to divide out $\displaystyle \pi$ (which means $\displaystyle \pi$ goes in the denominator and 180 in the numerator), to get into radians, you need $\displaystyle \pi$, so multiply by $\displaystyle \pi$ (meaning $\displaystyle \pi$ in the numerator). Basically just say "do I need $\displaystyle \pi$ or do I need to get rid of $\displaystyle \pi$" and you can figure it out.