Approximating θ/2 as θ for small angles: Is the error significant?

  • Thread starter Thread starter physics user1
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Approximate
physics user1
θ/2 as θ if θ is a small angle?

Thanks
 
Physics news on Phys.org
That depends on how you quantify the error. For example, both angles are ##O(\theta)## of course, but the relative error is still ##O(1)##. By the latter I mean that
$$
\frac{\left|\frac{\theta}{2} - \theta \right|}{\left|\frac{\theta}{2}\right|} = 1
$$
 
Last edited:
Back
Top