Lesson 1.

Angle in Standard Position and

the Six Trigonometric Functions
Introduction
The waves crashing on a beach, your heartbeat, watching television, jumping on a trampoline
and bank interest rates have one thing in common: they can be represented by trigonometric
functions.

Why? They repeat their values at regular intervals

Jean Baptiste Fourier (1768–1830) showed that almost any function over a given domain can be
represented by a series made up of trigonometric functions.

For example, believe it or not, the fat stored (y) in a lizard’s tail in months (m) is represented by
the function:
Sine and cosine functions are essential to the study of ALL periodic phenomena. They
are important in optics and acoustics, information theory and quantum mechanics
(quantum theories of the atom).
What to Learn?
The main focus of this lesson is to introduce trigonometric functions
(sometimes called periodic functions). The lesson includes:

 Angles
 Trigonometric Functions
 Using Definitions of Trigonometric Functions
Learning Outcomes
At the end of the lesson you should be able to:

 Use correct mathematical notation and terminology;

 Define and correctly identify the six trigonometric/circular functions based
on an angle in standard position;
 Use the definitions of the trigonometric functions to determine reciprocal
identities.
Angle
A ray, or half-line, is that portion of a line that starts at a point V on the line
and extends indefinitely in one direction. The starting point V of a ray is
called its vertex.

Figure 1
In Trigonometry, when two rays (or segments) are drawn with a common
vertex, they form an angle. We call one ray of an angle the initial side and
the other the terminal side. The angle formed is identified by showing the
direction and amount of rotation from the initial side to the terminal side. If
the rotation is in the counterclockwise direction, the angle is positive; if the
rotation is clockwise, the angle is negative. The rotation can consist of more
than one complete revolution.

Figure 2

Counterclockwise rotation Clockwise rotation Counterclockwise rotation

Positive angle Negative angle Positive angle
Lowercase Greek letters, α (alpha), β (beta), γ (gamma), . . . θ (theta), Φ (phi), . . .
are often used to represent the values of angles.

An angle can be named by using the name of its vertex. The angle below can
be named angle C. Alternatively, an angle can be named using three letters,
with the vertex letter in the middle. Thus, the angle could be named angle
ACB or angle BCA.

Figure 3
An angle θ is said to be in standard position if its vertex is at the origin of a
rectangular coordinate system and its initial side coincides with the positive x-
axis.

Figure 4

θ is in standard position θ is in standard position

θ is positive θ is negative
When an angle θ is in standard position, either the terminal side will lie in a
quadrant, in which case we say that θ lies in that quadrant, or the terminal
side will lie on the x-axis or the y-axis, in which case we say that θ is a
quadrantal angle.

Figure 5

θ lies in quadrant II θ lies in quadrant IV θ is a quadrantal angle

Angles are measured by determining the amount of rotation needed for the
initial side to become coincident with the terminal side. The two commonly
used measures for angles are degrees and radians.
Measuring Angles Using Degrees

The most common unit for measuring angles is the degree. Degree measure was developed by
the Babylonians 4000 yrs ago.
Figure 5
Note: A protractor can be used to measure angles given in degrees or to draw an angle given
in degree measure.

You may use computer applications such as Geogebra to draw an angle

Learning Activity 1. Use Geogebra to draw each angle

a. 45°

b. - 90°

c. 225°

d. 405°
Learning Activity 1. sample output
If the sum of the measures of two positive angles is 90°, the angles are
complementary and the angles are complements of each other. Two positive
angles with measures whose sum is 180° are supplementary, and the angles
are supplements.
Learning Activity 2. Find the measure of the complement or the
supplement of an angle

a. 40° c. Find the measure of each angle

b. -125 ° d. Find the measure of each angle

Answer to Learning Activity 2
(3x)° + (6x)° = 90°
a. 40° c. (9x)° = 90°
90° - 40° = 50 ° x = 10
(3x)° = 30°
(6x)° = 60°

b. -125 ° d. (6x)° + (4x)° = 180°

180° - (-125°) = 305 ° (10x)° = 180°
x = 18
(6x)° = 108°
(4x)° = 72°
Two angles with the same initial and terminal sides but possibly different
rotations are called coterminal angles.

Increasing or decreasing the degree measure of an angle in standard position

by an integer multiple of 360° results in a coterminal angle. Thus, an angle of
θ is coterminal with angles of θ± 360k, where k is an integer.
Learning Activity 3. Find the angle of least positive measure that is
coterminal with each angle
a. 908°

b. -75°

c. A constant angular velocity disk drive spins a disk at a constant speed.

Suppose a disk makes 480 revolutions per min. Through how many degrees
will a point on the edge of the disk move in 2 sec?
Answer to Learning Activity 3
Converting between the Degree, Minute, Second Form and the Decimal Form
Learning Activity 4. Convert to decimal degrees or degree, minute,
second notation

a. 50° 6′ 21″

b. 58° 22′ 16″

c. 29.238

d. 37.478
Answer to Learning Activity 4

Learning Activity 4
c. 29.238° 29.238 = 29° + 0.238°
= 29° + 0.238 (60′ )
= 29° + 14.28′
= 29° + 14′ + 0.28′
= 29° + 14′ + 0.28 (60′′ )
= 29° + 14′ + 16.8′′
= 29° + 14′ + 17′′
d. 37.478 37.478 = 37° + 0.478°
= 37° + 0.478 (60′ )
= 37° + 28.68′
= 37° + 28′ + 0.68′
= 37° + 28′ + 0.68(60′′ )
= 37° + 28′ + 40.8′′
= 37° + 28′ + 41′′
FYI. Angles represented in the DMS form are very useful in applications. For example,
latitude describes the position of a point on the earth’s surface in relation to the
equator. A point on the equator has latitude of 0. The north pole has a latitude of
90. The GPS coordinates of Philippines is 14°34'59.99" N 121°00'0.00" E
The Pythagorean Theorem and Distance Formula

Figure 6
Figure 7
Figure 8
 Output is the ratio of
Input is the measure the length of the
of acute angle sides
Trigonometric Functions

Figure 8
Learning Activity 5. Find the function values of an angle.

a. The terminal side of an angle θ in standard position passes through the

point ( 8, 15). Find the values of the six trigonometric functions of angle θ.

b. The terminal side of an angle θ in standard position passes through the

point (-3, -4). Find the values of the six trigonometric functions of angle θ.

c. Find the six trigonometric function values of an angle θ in standard

position, if the terminal side of θ is defined by x + 2y = 0, x ≥ 0
Answer to Learning Activity 5
FYI. The trigonometric function values found in example 5 are exact. If you are to use a
calculator to approximate these values, the decimal results would not be acceptable if
exact values were required.
Note. The sign of a trigonometric
function is dependent on the signs
of the coordinates of the points on
the terminal side of the angle. By
knowing in which quadrant the
terminal side of an angle lies, you
also know the signs of all the
trigonometric functions.
To find the function values of a quadrantal angle, determine the position of
the terminal side, choose the one of these four points that lies on this terminal
side, and then use the definitions involving x, y, and r.
Learning Activity 6. Find the values of the six trigonometric functions
for each angle.

a. An angle of 90°

b. an angle θ in standard position with terminal side passing through (-3, 0)

Answer to Learning Activity 6
Conditions for Undefined Function Values

Identify the terminal side of a quadrantal

angle.
 If the terminal side of the quadrantal angle
lies along the y-axis, then the tangent and
secant functions are undefined.
 If the terminal side of the quadrantal angle
lies along the x-axis, then the cotangent and
cosecant functions are undefined.
Function Values of Quadrantal Angles
Using the Definitions of the Six Trigo Functions
Learning Activity 7. Use reciprocal identities to find each function value.
Answer to Learning Activity 7
Assessment Tasks
Sketch an angle θ in standard position such that θ has the least positive measure, and
the given point is on the terminal side of θ. Then find the values of the six
trigonometric functions for each angle. Rationalize denominators when applicable.

1. The terminal side of an angle θ in standard position passes through the point (-8, 15).
Find the values of the six trigonometric functions of angle θ

2. The terminal side of an angle θ in standard position passes through the point (5, -12).
Find the values of the six trigonometric functions of angle θ

3. Find the six trigonometric function values of an angle θ in standard position, if the
terminal side of θ is defined by 2x + y = 0, x ≥ 0

4. Find the six trigonometric function values of an angle θ in standard position with
terminal side passing through
(0, -6).
References
[1] Ayres, F. and Moyer, R. (2018) Schaum's Outline of Trigonometry.
McGraw-Hill Education
[2] Blitzer, Robert. (2017). Algebra and Trigonometry. Sixth Edition.
Pearson Education Inc.
[3] Larson, R. (2017). Trigonometry. Tenth Edition. Cengage Learning.

Suggested Readings
[1] Topics in Trigonometry. Retrieved February 8, 2021 from
https://themathpage.com/aTrig/trigonometry.htm
[2] Trigonometric Functions of Angles Retrieved February 8, 2021 from
https://math.libretexts.org/Bookshelves/Precalculus/Book%3A_Trigonometry_(S
undstrom_and_Schlicker)/03%3A_Triangles_and_Vectors/3.01%3A_Trigonometri
c_Functions_of_Angles