A 272° angle is reflex because it measures between 180° and 360°. It is the "outside" of an 88° angle: together they make a full 360° circle.
272° is 34/45 of a full circle, or 68π/45 radians. If you face north and turn 272° clockwise, you end up facing between W and WNW (closest to west (W)).
272° angle facts
| Angle type | Reflex angle (between 180° and 360°) |
|---|---|
| Explement (adds to 360°) | 88° |
| Radians | 68π/45 ≈ 4.747296 |
| Gradians | 302.2222 grad |
| Fraction of a turn | 34/45 (75.56%) |
| Degrees, minutes, seconds | 272° 0′ 0″ |
| Compass bearing | between W and WNW (closest to west (W)) |
Trigonometric values of 272°
| Function | Value |
|---|---|
| sin 272° | −0.999391 |
| cos 272° | 0.034899 |
| tan 272° | −28.636253 |
272° on a protractor
How to draw a 272° angle with a protractor
- Subtract from 360°: 360° − 272° = 88°. A standard protractor only goes to 180°, so you draw the smaller angle first.
- Draw a straight line with a ruler and mark the vertex at one end.
- Place the protractor's center mark on the vertex, line up the 0° baseline with your line, and make a dot at 88°.
- Join the vertex to the dot. The inside angle is 88°; the outside angle, going the long way around, is 272°. Draw the angle arc on the outside and label it 272°.
- With a 360° protractor you can skip the subtraction: put 0° on your first line and mark 272° directly.
Drawing it a 272° angle without a protractor (rise and run method)
- Draw a straight baseline and measure 0.35 inches (about 3/8″) along it from the vertex.
- At that mark, draw a line straight up at 90° and measure exactly 10 inches up it.
- Join the top mark to the vertex. The angle at the vertex is 88°, because tan 88° ≈ 28.6363.
- That gives you 88°. The outside (reflex) angle is 272°.
Where you see 272° angles
- The Earth turns 272° on its axis in about 18 h 8 min.
- A 272° reflex angle is what you measure when you go the "long way" around, like the outside corner of a building or a turn of more than half a circle.
Related angles
272° angle FAQ
What type of angle is 272°?
A 272° angle is a reflex angle, because it is between 180° and 360°.
Does a 272° angle have a complement or supplement?
No. Complements add up to 90° and supplements to 180°, and 272° is already larger than both. What it does have is an explement (conjugate) of 88°, the angle that completes a full 360° circle.
How many radians is 272 degrees?
272° = 68π/45 radians ≈ 4.7473 rad. To convert degrees to radians, multiply by π/180: 272 × π/180 = 68π/45.
How do I measure a 272° angle on my screen?
Open the online protractor with 272° preset, or type 272 into its "Type an angle" box. You can then drag the arms onto your own lines to compare.
