name 4 ways to measure an angle

An angle can be measured with a protractor or a goniometer.
For a picture of a simple mechanical goniometer, see www.babinski.de/.../bsf21_30_179_Goniometer.html

For a description and picture of a laser goniometer, see
http://www.catra.org/pages/products/razors/razlgpm.htm

You can also measure the rise-to-run ratio (which is equivalent to the tangent) and use a trigonometric table to convert to degrees.

There are four common ways to measure an angle:

1. Protractor: A protractor is a common tool used to measure angles. It typically has a semicircular shape with degree markings along the curved edge. To measure an angle, place the center of the protractor on the vertex (the point where the two rays of the angle meet). Align one of the rays with the baseline of the protractor and read the degree measurement where the other ray intersects the curved edge.

2. Goniometer: A goniometer is a specialized instrument used specifically for measuring angles. There are mechanical goniometers and laser goniometers available. A mechanical goniometer typically consists of two arms hinged together at one end, with markings indicating the angle between them. To measure an angle, place the vertex of the angle at the hinge of the goniometer and align each ray with one arm of the goniometer. Read the angle measurement from the markings.

3. Rise-to-run ratio: The rise-to-run ratio, also known as the tangent, can be used to measure an angle indirectly. For example, if you know the vertical rise and horizontal run of a line or triangle, you can calculate the tangent of the angle using the formula tangent(Angle) = rise / run. Then, you can use a trigonometric table or a scientific calculator to find the corresponding angle in degrees.

4. Trigonometric functions: Another way to measure an angle is by using trigonometric functions such as sine, cosine, or tangent. If you know the lengths of two sides of a right triangle (one being the hypotenuse), you can use the inverse trigonometric functions (sin^(-1), cos^(-1), tan^(-1)) to find the angle corresponding to those side lengths.

These are the four common methods for measuring angles, each with its own specific uses and advantages.