(Chapter 1: Review) 1.

21

TOPIC 2: TRIGONOMETRY I

PART A: ANGLE MEASURES

Radian measure is more “mathematically natural” than degree measure, and it is
typically assumed in calculus. In fact, radian measure is assumed if there are no
units present.
There are 2
radians in a full (counterclockwise) revolution, because the entire
unit circle (which has circumference 2
) is intercepted exactly once by such an
angle.

There are 360
(360 degrees) in a full (counterclockwise) revolution.

(This is something of a cultural artifact; ancient Babylonians operated on a base-60
number system.)

2
radians is equivalent to 360
. Therefore,
radians is equivalent to 180
.

Either relationship may be used to construct conversion factors.
In any unit conversion, we effectively multiply by 1 in such a way that the old unit
is canceled out.

For example, to convert 45
into radians:

= (1)




 (1) 
 


 radians   radians 

( )
45 = 45 
 

 180
 = ( )
45  



180 
 =  radians .
 4
  
 ( 4)
 (Chapter 1: Review) 1.22

PART B: QUADRANTS AND QUADRANTAL ANGLES

The x- and y-axes divide the xy-plane into 4 quadrants.
Quadrant I is the upper right quadrant; the others are numbered in
counterclockwise order.
A standard angle in standard position has the positive [really, nonnegative] x-axis
as its initial side and the origin as its vertex. We say that the angle lies in the
quadrant that its terminal side shoots through. For example, in the figure below, the
positive standard angle with the red terminal side is a Quadrant I angle:

A standard angle whose terminal side lies on the x- or y-axis is called a quadrantal


angle. Quadrantal angles correspond to “integer multiples” of 90
or radians.
2
The quadrants and some quadrantal angles are below.
(For convenience, we may label a standard angle by labeling its terminal side.)
 (Chapter 1: Review) 1.23

PART C: COTERMINAL ANGLES

Standard angles that share the same terminal side are called coterminal angles.
They differ by an integer number of full revolutions counterclockwise or
clockwise.
If the angle
is measured in radians, then its coterminal angles are of the
form:  + 2
n , where n is any integer ( n

) .

If the angle
is measured in degrees, then its coterminal angles are of the
form:
+ 360n
, where n is any integer ( n

) .

Note: Since n could be negative, the “+” sign is sufficient in the above forms, as
opposed to “ ± .”

PART D: TRIGONOMETRIC FUNCTIONS:

THE RIGHT TRIANGLE APPROACH
The Setup
The acute angles of a right triangle are complementary. Consider such an
angle,
. Relative to
, we may label the sides as follows:

The hypotenuse always faces the right angle, and it is always the longest
side.

The other two sides are the legs. The opposite side (relative to
) faces the

angle. The other leg is the adjacent side (relative to
).
 (Chapter 1: Review) 1.24

Defining the Six Basic Trig Functions (where
is acute)

“SOH-CAH-TOA”
Opp.
Sine
= sin
=
Hyp.
Adj.
Cosine
= cos
=
Hyp.
Opp.
Tangent
= tan
=
Adj.

Reciprocal Identities

1  Hyp. 
Cosecant
= csc
=  = Opp. 
sin

1  Hyp. 
Secant
= sec
=  = Adj. 
cos

1  Adj. 
Cotangent
= cot
=  = Opp. 
tan

WARNING 1: Remember that the reciprocal of sin
is csc
, not sec
.

TIP 1: We informally treat “0” and “undefined” as reciprocals when we are
dealing with basic trigonometric functions. Your algebra teacher will not
want to hear this, though!
 (Chapter 1: Review) 1.25

PART E: TRIGONOMETRIC FUNCTIONS:

THE UNIT CIRCLE APPROACH
The Setup
Consider a standard angle
measured in radians (or, equivalently, let

represent a real number).

( )
The point P cos
, sin
is the intersection point between the terminal
side of the angle and the unit circle centered at the origin. The slope of
the terminal side is, in fact, tan
.

Note: The intercepted arc along the circle (in red) has arc length
.
The figure below demonstrates how this is consistent with the
SOH-CAH-TOA (or Right Triangle) approach. Observe:
sin
rise
tan
= = = slope of terminal side
cos
run
 (Chapter 1: Review) 1.26

“THE Table”

We will use our knowledge of the 30
-60
-90
and 45
-45
-90
special
triangles to construct “THE Table” below. The unit circle approach is used
to find the trigonometric values for quadrantal angles such as 0
and 90
.

Key Angles
: Intersection

sin

Degrees, sin
cos
tan
= Point
(Radians) cos
(
P cos
, sin
)
0
, (0)
0
=0 1
0
1
=0 (1, 0)
2

 1/ 2 1 3
3 1

1 1 3
30 ,   = = =  , 
 6 2 2 2 3/2 3 3  2 2

 2/2
2 2
45
,   2 2 2
= =1  , 
 4 2 2 2 2/2  2 2 


 1 3/2
1 3
60
,   3 3
= = 3  , 
 3 2 2 2 1/ 2 2 2 


90
,  
 2
4
=1 0
1
0
is undefined (0, 1)
2

WARNING 2: is not a “special” angle.
5
WARNING 3: Always make sure what mode your calculator is in
(DEG vs. RAD) whenever you evaluate trigonometric functions.
The values for the reciprocals, csc
, sec
, and cot
, are then
readily found. Remember that it is sometimes better to take a
trigonometric value where the denominator is not rationalized before
1
taking its reciprocal. For example, because tan 30
= , we know
3
immediately that cot 30
= 3 .
 (Chapter 1: Review) 1.27

Observe:
• The pattern in the sin
column
Technical Note: An explanation for this pattern appears in the
Sept. 2004 issue of the College Mathematics Journal (p.302).
• The fact that the sin
column is reversed to form the cos
column.
This is due to the Cofunction Identities (or the Pythagorean
Identities).


• As
increases from 0
to 90
(i.e., from 0 to radians),
2
•• sin
(the y-coordinate of P) increases from 0 to 1.
Note: This is more obvious using the Unit Circle
approach instead of the Right Triangle approach.
•• cos
(the x-coordinate of P) decreases from 1 to 0.
•• tan
(the slope of the terminal side) starts at 0, increases,
and approaches
.
• Here is the “Big Picture.” Remember that each intersection point is
( )
of the form P cos
, sin
.
 (Chapter 1: Review) 1.28

PART F: EXTENDING FROM QUADRANT I TO OTHER QUADRANTS

Reference angles

The reference angle for a non-quadrantal standard angle is the acute

angle that its terminal side makes with the x-axis.
We will informally call angles that have the same reference angle
“coreference angles,” which is not a standard term.
• We may informally think of “coreference angles” as “brothers” and
coterminal angles as “twins” (although an angle has infinitely many of
them).
For example, the “coreference angles” below share the same reference angle,


namely 30
, or radians.
6

Coterminal angles are also “coreference angles.” For example,
30
(or
 11


radians) is a coterminal “twin” for the 330
(or radian) angle.
6 6
 (Chapter 1: Review) 1.29


We will extend the following patterns for “coreference angles” of to
6
other “families” of radian measures:
5

Quadrant II: ; observe that 5 is 1 less than 6.
6
7

Quadrant III: ; observe that 7 is 1 more than 6.
6
11

Quadrant IV: ; observe that 11 is 1 less than twice 6.
6




Key “coreference angles” of , , and are below.
6 4 3


We’ve already seen some for :
6
(The boxes correspond to Quadrants.)
5


6 6
7
11

6 6

Now, :
4
3


4 4
5
7

4 4

Now, :
3
2


3 3
4
5

3 3
 (Chapter 1: Review) 1.30

Why are “Coreference Angles” Useful?

Coterminal angles have the same basic trigonometric values, including

the signs.

“Coreference angles” have the same basic trigonometric values up to

(except maybe for) the signs.

Signs of Basic Trigonometric Values in Quadrants

Remember that reciprocal values have the same sign (or one is 0 and the
other is undefined).

“ASTC” Rule for Signs

Think: “All Students Take Calculus”
Start in Quadrant I and progress counterclockwise through the
Quadrants:

S A
T C

All six basic trigonometric functions are positive in Quadrant I.

(They are all positive for acute angles.)
Sine and its reciprocal, Cosecant, are positive in Quadrant II.
(The other four functions are negative.)
Tangent and its reciprocal, Cotangent, are positive in Quadrant III.
Cosine and its reciprocal, Secant, are positive in Quadrant IV.

 7  1 
 1 7

For example, sin   =
, because sin   = , and is in
 6  2  6 2 6
Quadrant III.