Polar Functions: Background You’ll Need 1

  • Graph angles in standard form

In trigonometry and now in polar coordinates, we describe an angle by how it rotates from the positive x-axis.

standard position of an angle

An angle is in standard position when:

  • Its vertex is at the origin (0,0).

  • Its initial side lies on the positive x-axis.

  • Its terminal side is drawn after rotating the initial side.

  • Positive angles rotate counterclockwise.

  • Negative angles rotate clockwise.

Draw a [latex]120^{\circ}[/latex] angle in standard position.