gh-138845: Correct turtle module documentation misconceptions

Doc/library/turtle.rst

@@ -524,9 +524,17 @@ Turtle motion
 
    :param angle: a number (integer or float)
 
-   Turn turtle right by *angle* units.  (Units are by default degrees, but
-   can be set via the :func:`degrees` and :func:`radians` functions.)  Angle
-   orientation depends on the turtle mode, see :func:`mode`.
+   Turn turtle right by *angle* units.
+
+   The unit of measurement is controlled by :func:`degrees` and
+   :func:`radians`:
+
+   * By default, 360.0 units form a full circle (degrees).
+   * After calling :func:`radians`, ``2*math.pi`` units form a full circle.
+   * Custom values can be set with :func:`degrees`.
+
+   Orientation of the turn depends in the current turtle mode,
+   see :func:`mode`.
 
    .. doctest::
       :skipif: _tkinter is None
@@ -549,9 +557,17 @@ Turtle motion
 
    :param angle: a number (integer or float)
 
-   Turn turtle left by *angle* units.  (Units are by default degrees, but
-   can be set via the :func:`degrees` and :func:`radians` functions.)  Angle
-   orientation depends on the turtle mode, see :func:`mode`.
+   Turn turtle left by *angle* units.
+
+   The unit of measurement is controlled by :func:`degrees` and
+   :func:`radians`:
+
+   * By default, 360.0 units form a full circle (degrees).
+   * After calling :func:`radians`, ``2*math.pi`` units form a full circle.
+   * Custom values can be set with :func:`degrees`.
+
+   Orientation of the turn depends in the current turtle mode,
+   see :func:`mode`.
 
    .. doctest::
       :skipif: _tkinter is None
@@ -1008,10 +1024,16 @@ Settings for measurement
 
 .. function:: degrees(fullcircle=360.0)
 
-   :param fullcircle: a number
+   :param fullcircle: a number representing units for a full circle
+
+   Set angle measurement units so that a full circle is *fullcircle*
+   units. The default value is ``360.0`` (i.e. conventional degrees).
 
-   Set angle measurement units, i.e. set number of "degrees" for a full circle.
-   Default value is 360 degrees.
+   .. seealso::
+      :func:`radians`
+      :func:`mode`
+      :func:`left`
+      :func:`right`
 
    .. doctest::
       :skipif: _tkinter is None
@@ -1030,11 +1052,29 @@ Settings for measurement
       >>> turtle.heading()
       90.0
 
+      >>> # Change angle measurement unit to radians (where a full circle
+      >>> # equals 2π radians, so 90 degrees becomes π/2 radians)
+      >>> import math
+      >>> turtle.degrees(2*math.pi)
+      >>> turtle.heading()
+      1.5707963267948966
+      >>> turtle.degrees(360)
+      >>> turtle.heading()
+      90.0
+
 
 .. function:: radians()
 
-   Set the angle measurement units to radians.  Equivalent to
-   ``degrees(2*math.pi)``.
+   Set the angle measurement unit to radians.
+
+   Equivalent to::
+
+      degrees(2*math.pi)
+
+   After this call, one full circle correspond to
+   ``2*math.pi`` units.
+
+   .. seealso:: :func:`degrees`, :func:`left`, :func:`right`
 
    .. doctest::
       :skipif: _tkinter is None
@@ -1356,8 +1396,27 @@ More drawing control
 
 .. function:: reset()
 
-   Delete the turtle's drawings from the screen, re-center the turtle and set
-   variables to the default values.
+   Delete the turtle's drawings from the screen. Move the turtle
+   to position ``(0, 0)``, set its heading to the default
+   (facing east in standard mode) and restore the following state
+   variables to their initial values:
+
+   * position: ``(0, 0)``
+   * heading: ``0`` (east)
+   * pen state: down (drawing)
+   * pensize: ``1``
+   * pencolor: black
+   * fillcolor: white
+   * speed: ``3``
+   * turtle visibility: shown
+   * shape size: ``(1.0, 1.0)`` (no stretch)
+   * shape shear: ``0.0`` (no shear)
+   * shape tilt: ``0.0`` (no tilt)
+
+   .. note::
+      The angle unit is **not reset** to degrees. If
+      :func:`radians` was used before :func:`reset`,
+      the unit remains radians.
 
    .. doctest::
       :skipif: _tkinter is None

Lib/turtle.py

@@ -1580,7 +1580,7 @@ def reset(self):
         Will be overwritten by parent class
         """
         self._position = Vec2D(0.0, 0.0)
-        self._orient =  TNavigator.START_ORIENTATION[self._mode]
+        self._orient = TNavigator.START_ORIENTATION[self._mode]
 
     def _setmode(self, mode=None):
         """Set turtle-mode to 'standard', 'world' or 'logo'.
@@ -1612,9 +1612,8 @@ def degrees(self, fullcircle=360.0):
         Optional argument:
         fullcircle -  a number
 
-        Set angle measurement units, i. e. set number
-        of 'degrees' for a full circle. Default value is
-        360 degrees.
+        Set angle measurement units so that a full circle is *fullcircle*
+        units. The default value is `360.0` (i.e. conventional degrees).
 
         Example (for a Turtle instance named turtle):
         >>> turtle.left(90)
@@ -1627,12 +1626,20 @@ def degrees(self, fullcircle=360.0):
         >>> turtle.heading()
         100
 
+        Change angle measurement unit to radians (where a full circle
+        equals 2π radians, so 90 degrees becomes π/2 radians)
+        >>> turtle.degrees(2*math.pi)
+        >>> turtle.heading()
+        1.5707963267948966
+
         """
         self._setDegreesPerAU(fullcircle)
 
     def radians(self):
         """ Set the angle measurement units to radians.
 
+        Equivalent to calling `degrees(2*math.pi)`
+
         No arguments.
 
         Example (for a Turtle instance named turtle):
@@ -1716,9 +1723,17 @@ def right(self, angle):
         Argument:
         angle -- a number (integer or float)
 
-        Turn turtle right by angle units. (Units are by default degrees,
-        but can be set via the degrees() and radians() functions.)
-        Angle orientation depends on mode. (See this.)
+        Turn turtle right by *angle* units.
+
+        The unit of measurement is controlled by `degrees()` and
+        `radians()`:
+
+        * By default, 360.0 units form a full circle (degrees).
+        * After calling `radians()`, ``2*math.pi`` units form a full circle.
+        * Custom values can be set with `degrees(fullcircle)`.
+
+        Orientation of the turn depends in the current turtle mode,
+        see function `mode()`.
 
         Example (for a Turtle instance named turtle):
         >>> turtle.heading()
@@ -1737,9 +1752,17 @@ def left(self, angle):
         Argument:
         angle -- a number (integer or float)
 
-        Turn turtle left by angle units. (Units are by default degrees,
-        but can be set via the degrees() and radians() functions.)
-        Angle orientation depends on mode. (See this.)
+        Turn turtle left by *angle* units.
+
+        The unit of measurement is controlled by `degrees()` and
+        `radians()`:
+
+        * By default, 360.0 units form a full circle (degrees).
+        * After calling `radians()`, ``2*math.pi`` units form a full circle.
+        * Custom values can be set with `degrees(fullcircle)`.
+
+        Orientation of the turn depends in the current turtle mode,
+        see function `mode()`.
 
         Example (for a Turtle instance named turtle):
         >>> turtle.heading()
@@ -2622,8 +2645,27 @@ def reset(self):
 
         No argument.
 
-        Delete the turtle's drawings from the screen, re-center the turtle
-        and set variables to the default values.
+        Delete the turtle's drawings from the screen. Move the turtle
+        to position `(0, 0)`, set its heading to the default
+        (facing east in standard mode) and restore the following state
+        variables to their initial values:
+
+        - position: `(0, 0)`
+        - heading: `0` (east)
+        - pen state: down (drawing)
+        - pensize: `1`
+        - pencolor: black
+        - fillcolor: white
+        - speed: `3`
+        - turtle visibility: shown
+        - shape size: `(1.0, 1.0)` (no stretch)
+        - shape shear: `0.0` (no shear)
+        - shape tilt: `0.0` (no tilt)
+
+        Note:
+            The angle unit is **not reset** to degrees. If
+            `radians()` was used before `reset()`,
+            the unit remains radians.
 
         Example (for a Turtle instance named turtle):
         >>> turtle.position()

Misc/NEWS.d/next/Documentation/2025-09-14-09-48-44.gh-issue-138845.38PSxU.rst

@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+Correct the documentation for the functions :func:`turtle.reset`,
+:func:`turtle.left`, :func:`turtle.right`, :func:`turtle.degrees`, and
+:func:`turtle.radians` to address misconceptions.