©Ibling

Circular functions and trigonometry

1. The circle: radian measure of angles. Length of an arc; area of a sector.
- Be able to move from radians to degrees and vice versa:

I always start with 360° = 2𝜋 𝑟𝑎𝑑𝑖𝑎𝑛𝑠. This is easy to remember because a whole
revolution of a circle is 360°, and the path to cover the whole circle (circumference) is 2𝜋𝑟.
So think of “r” in this case as not a radius, but radians to help you remember.

Then the rest of the angles can be derived easily.

Be able to calculate length of arc and area of sector, in terms of radians:

𝜃
𝐴𝑟𝑐 𝑙𝑒𝑛𝑔𝑡ℎ = × 2𝜋𝑟 = 𝜃𝑟
2𝜋

𝜃 𝜃𝑟 2
𝐴𝑟𝑐 𝑙𝑒𝑛𝑔𝑡ℎ = × 𝜋𝑟 2 =
2𝜋 2

𝜃
Note that is just expressing what fraction of the circle we are interested in.
2𝜋

2. Definition of cosθ , sinθ and tanθ in terms of the unit circle. Exact values of sin, cos and
𝝅 𝝅 𝝅 𝝅
tan of 0, , , , and their multiples. Definition of the reciprocal trigonometric ratios secθ,
𝟔 𝟒 𝟑 𝟐
cscθ and cotθ. Pythagorean identities: cos2θ + sin2θ =1; 1+ tan2θ = sec2θ ; 1+ cot2θ = csc2θ.
- Be able to know how to use sinθ ,cosθ and tanθ:

All you need to remember is SOHCAHTOA.

𝑂
𝑆𝑖𝑛𝜃 =
𝐻
𝐴
𝐶𝑜𝑠𝜃 =
𝐻
𝑂 𝑆𝑖𝑛𝜃
𝑇𝑎𝑛𝜃 = =
𝐴 𝐶𝑜𝑠𝜃
𝜋 𝜋 𝜋 𝜋
Be able to know exact values of 0, , , , :
6 4 3 2

You just need to know two triangles: An equilateral triangle with side magnitude “1” that is
divided in half and an isosceles with two sides with magnitude “1”. Deduce the angles!

1 √2

1
√3
2

1 1
2
 ©Ibling

Be able to use reciprocal ratios:

This are nothing too difficult, but is more of knowing the terms.

1
𝑐𝑠𝑐𝜃 =
𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃
1
𝑠𝑒𝑐𝜃 =
𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜃
1
𝑐𝑜𝑡𝜃 =
𝑡𝑎𝑛𝜃
Be able to use the Pythagorean identities:

These are provided in the data booklet and the formulas are all derived from Pythagoras’s
theorem.

3. Compound angle identities. Double angle identities.

- Be able to use complementary angles:

Complementary angle essentially allows you to move between sin and cos.
𝜋
Consider 𝛼 + 𝛽 = .
2

Then 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝛼 = 𝑐𝑜𝑠𝛽 because you will notice that they are defined so that they are always
complementary to each other. Thus we can also express like this by substitution:
𝜋
𝑠𝑖𝑛𝛼 = cos ( − 𝛼)
2
Be able to use compound angle identities and double angle identities:

This is a way to expand expressions like 𝑠𝑖𝑛(𝐴 + 𝐵) and 𝑠𝑖𝑛(2𝐶). No proof is needed and
it is included in the formula booklet.
𝜋
If you try to expand the expression mentioned above, cos ( − 𝛼), you will indeed get that
2
it equals to 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝛼.
 ©Ibling

4. Composite functions of the form f(x) = asin(b(x + c)) + d.

- Be able to transform 𝑓(𝑥) = 𝑎𝑠𝑖𝑛(𝑏(𝑥 + 𝑐)) + 𝑑:

a = amplitude

b = angular velocity. If 𝑏 > 0 it will increase oscillation and if 𝑏 < 0 it will decrease.

c = phase shift or the shift horizontally. It works in the same way as regular f(x) function.

d = vertical shift like regular linear f(x).

T = period, also known as wavelength.

How do we find the values using a specific graph? The formulae are rather intuitive.
𝑚𝑎𝑥−𝑚𝑖𝑛
𝑎= , because we want to take half of the total range the graph is oscillating.
2

2𝜋
𝑏= , because basically we are asking how fast does the graph oscillate? We are basically
𝑇
looking at how many whole revolutions (2𝜋) we can fit in one T (our wavelength). If our
wavelength is very large, it means we can fit many whole revolutions, which means our
angular velocity must be very slow.
𝑚𝑎𝑥+𝑚𝑖𝑛
𝑑= , because now we are looking at the midpoint or the “average”.
2

𝑐 = 𝑠𝑒𝑡 𝑓(0) 𝑜𝑟 𝑎𝑛𝑦 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑣𝑒𝑛𝑖𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑖𝑛𝑝𝑢𝑡 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑠𝑜𝑙𝑣𝑒 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑐.

 ©Ibling

5. The inverse functions x→arcsinx, x→arccosx, x→arctanx; their domains and ranges;
their graphs.
- Be able to graph inverse trig functions:
𝑂
𝑓(𝜃) = 𝑠𝑖𝑛(𝜃) 𝑓 −1 (𝜃) = 𝑎𝑟𝑐𝑠𝑖𝑛( )
𝐻

𝐴
𝑓(∅) = 𝑐𝑜𝑠(∅) 𝑓 −1 (∅) = 𝑎𝑟𝑐𝑐𝑜𝑠( )
𝐻

𝑂
𝑓(𝛽) = 𝑡𝑎𝑛(𝛽) 𝑓 −1 (𝛽) = 𝑎𝑟𝑐𝑡𝑎𝑛( )
𝐴
 ©Ibling

6. Algebraic and graphical methods of solving trigonometric equations in a finite interval,

including the use of trigonometric identities and factorization.
- Be able to solve trig equations with finite intervals:

The key is to identify which trig identity to use.

𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃 = 𝑠𝑖𝑛∅

𝑆𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 1: 𝜃 = ∅ ± 2𝜋𝑘

𝑆𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 2: 𝜃 = 𝜋 − ∅ ± 2𝜋𝑘

Why 𝜋 − ∅? Well, if you draw the unit circle you will see that sin will have same values for
𝜋 − ∅ because it is an odd function. The diagram below shows that by definition (opposite
over hypotenuse) is indeed identical for both angles.

𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜃 = 𝑐𝑜𝑠∅

𝑆𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 1: 𝜃 = ∅ ± 2𝜋𝑘

𝑆𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 2: 𝜃 = −∅ ± 2𝜋𝑘

Why only −∅? If we draw again, cos is an even function so its negative angle will always be
identical to its positive angle.

For tan, the only important thing to remember is that its period is 𝜋𝑘 and not 2𝜋𝑘.

Always make sure that your answers are within the given boundaries in the question!
 ©Ibling

7. The cosine rule. The sine rule including the ambiguous case. Area of a triangle as
𝟏
𝒂𝒃𝒔𝒊𝒏𝑪.
𝟐
- Be able to use compound angle transformation(?):

Be able to solve problems involving bearings:

Bearing is the angle in reference from the north direction of viewer’s perspective, rotated
clockwise.

Be able to use sine and cosine rules:

Both formulae are in the formula booklet. However, there may be ambiguous cases where
cos rule and sin rule give different values.

c
a

When given side a, c and angle θ, there can be two possible solutions. So when using sine
rule, remember that there is always another solution with its complementary angle (π − θ).

So when there is a disagreement between cosine rule and sine rule, check that you are using
the correct angle and length values.

Be able to calculate the area of triangle using sin:

This is in the formula booklet too so you need to be able to only plug in the numbers.