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This is a VERY important question and I am glad you asked it. First you have to remember that in drawing angles we think of 4 quadrants. Think of the XY plane - the first quadrant is where BOTH X and Y are positive. In the 2nd quadrant the X is negative and the Y is positive. In the 3rd quadrant the X and the Y are negative. In the 4th quadrant the X is positive and the Y is negative.

Normally when we draw an angle we draw an angle less than 90 degrees. However, we can draw any angle we want from 0 to 360. However that angle can be represented by an angle less than 90 degrees in a certain quadrant.

Take an angle like 120 degrees. That angle is the same as a 60 degree angle in the 2nd quadrant. A 210 degree angle is the same as a 30 degree angle in the 3rd quadrant. A 359 degree angle is the same as a 1 degree angle in the 4th quadrant.

Those smaller angles are reference angles. This explanation would be better if I could insert graphs.

I have attached a link to a picture. Alpha is the angle and Beta is the reference angle.

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Why is 90 degree not taken as the angle of reference in trigonometry?

The angle of reference is in the first quadrant, and 90 degrees angle is not in the quadrant.


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