NSW Education Standards Authority

Mathematics Extension 1 Year 12

Trigonometric Functions Topic Guide

The Mathematics syllabuses are the documents used to inform the scope of content that will
be assessed in the HSC examinations.

Topic Guides provide support for the Mathematics Stage 6 courses. They contain information
organised under the following headings: Terminology; Use of technology; Background
information; General comments; Future study; Considerations and teaching strategies;
Suggested applications and exemplar questions.

Topic Guides illustrate ways to explore syllabus-related content and consequently do not
define the scope of problems or learning experiences that students may encounter through
their study of a topic. The terminology list contains terms that may be used in the teaching and
learning of the topic. The list is not exhaustive and is provided simply to aid discussion.

Please provide any feedback to the Mathematics and Numeracy Curriculum Inspector.

Effective from March 2020

Date published March 2020
Revision date June 2020 – typographical corrections
Contents
Topic focus..........................................................................................................................3

Terminology........................................................................................................................3

Use of technology...............................................................................................................3

Background information....................................................................................................3

General comments..............................................................................................................3

Future study........................................................................................................................4

Subtopics............................................................................................................................4
ME-T3 Trigonometric Equations.................................................................................................... 5

Subtopic focus......................................................................................................................... 5

Considerations and teaching strategies....................................................................................5

Suggested applications and exemplar questions......................................................................6

Mathematics Extension 1 Year 12 Topic guide: Trigonometric functions, updated June 2020 Page 2 of 7
Topic focus
The topic Trigonometric Functions involves the study of periodic functions in geometric,
algebraic, numerical and graphical representations. It extends to include the exploration of both
algebraic and geometric methods to solve trigonometric problems.

A knowledge of trigonometric functions enables students to manipulate trigonometric

expressions to prove identities and solve equations.

The study of trigonometric functions is important in developing students’ understanding of the

connections between algebraic and graphical representations and how this can be applied to
solve problems from theoretical or real-life scenarios, for example involving waves and signals.

Terminology
amplitude half-angle formulae subsidiary angle
auxiliary angle identically equal sum and difference of
compound angle identity angles
double-angle formulae periodic sum to product
equation phase shift t -formulae
expression sinusoidal trigonometric equation
factorising sketch trigonometric identity

Use of technology
Graphing technologies are a suitable means of exploring many of the concepts studied in this
topic and their use is strongly recommended.
In particular, graphing software is useful for sketching and visualising relevant functions to
enable exploration and analysis. For example, it is easy to demonstrate using graphing
technology that when two sine waves of the same frequency are added together, the result is a
‘shifted’ and ‘stretched’ sine wave of different amplitude but with the same frequency.

Background information
The reduction of the sum of two or more trigonometric functions into one trigonometric function
is a powerful technique that simplifies many calculations and explorations that involve
trigonometric functions. Practical illustrations include the combination of sound waves that
occurs when we hear musical notes played individually and then simultaneously. Another is the
theory behind noise cancelling headphones.

General comments
Expressions of the form f ( x )=a cos x +b sin x arise commonly in the solution of modelling
problems. It can be shown that if a ≠ 0 , then f ( x )=a cos x +b sin x is expressible in the form

Mathematics Extension 1 Year 12 Topic guide: Trigonometric functions, updated June 2020 Page 3 of 7
 b
f ( x )=R cos ( x−α ) where R=√ a2 +b2 and R cos α=a , R sin α =b⟹ tan α = .
a
The value of R is the amplitude of the periodic function f ( x ) and α is the phase shift of the
function. This method is called the auxiliary angle or subsidiary angle method and the angle α
is called the auxiliary or subsidiary angle.

In general, if a and b are positive, a sin x ±b cos x can be written in the form R sin(x ± α ) and
a cos x ± b sin x can be written in the form R cos ( x ∓ α ) , where R=√ a2 +b2 and
1
R cos α=a , R sin α =b, with 0< α < π .
2
There is no expectation that students will memorise these results and it is important for them to
be able to show how the results are derived from the appropriate expansion. However, after
some experience with problems, students will soon recognise that R=√ a2 +b2 and the process
of deducing α and students should not be penalised for recognising this relationship.

Future study
Any further study in most aspects of science, technology or mathematics will encounter
sinusoidal waves in some context.
As an extension beyond the requirements of this syllabus, students could investigate shapes
such as Lissajous figures { x= A sin ( aθ+c ) , y=B sin ( bθ ) }. A well-known example is the logo of
the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

Subtopics
 ME-T3 Trigonometric Equations

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ME-T3 Trigonometric Equations

Subtopic focus
The principal focus of this subtopic is to consolidate and extend students’ knowledge in relation
to solving trigonometric equations and to apply this knowledge to practical situations.

Students develop complex algebraic manipulative skills and fluency in applying trigonometric
knowledge to a variety of situations. Trigonometric expressions and equations provide a
powerful tool for modelling quantities that vary in a cyclical way, such as tides, seasons,
demand for resources, and alternating current.

Considerations and teaching strategies

 Review of the following may be needed to meet the needs of students:
 Solving simple trigonometric equations – This relates to content covered in the
Mathematics Advanced topic MA-T2.
 Graphs of trigonometric functions – This relates to content covered in the Mathematics
Advanced topic MA-T3.
 Sum and difference expansion formulae, t -formulae – This relates to content covered in
ME-T2.
 The topic could be introduced graphically, using graphing technology to draw the graph of
y=3 sin x +2 cos x . Students could recognise that the graph is a transformed cosine or sine
graph and could be more easily represented as y=R sin (x+ α ). Using their knowledge of
the transformation of functions, students could then determine the values of R and α .
 Alternatively using an algebraic approach, students could compare y=3 sin x +2 cos x to
y=R sin (x+ α ). Expanding the compound angle produces the result
3 sin x+ 2cos x ≡ R sin x cos α + R cos x sin α .
Comparing the coefficients gives: 3=R cos α and 2=R sin α
These can then be solved simultaneously:
2 R sin α 2
= ⇒ tan α = and R2 sin2 α + R 2 cos 2 α =R 2 ⇒ R2 =22+3 2
3 R cos α 3
Alternatively, a right-angled triangle can be drawn:

R
2
α
3

2
Hence tan α = , and R=√ 22 +32 which can then be solved.
3
 The use of the symbol ≡ (is identically equal to) should be understood.
 Students should understand the limitations of using the t -method to solve trigonometric
θ
equations. If t=tan , then t is undefined when θ=180° or π and consequently these
2
values must be tested in the equation that is being solved to avoid omitting solutions.

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 Teachers could explore the effect of assigning t a slightly different expression when
solving equations. For example, when solving the equation √ 3 sin 2θ−cos 2 θ=1 if we let
π
t=tanθ , then t is undefined when θ=90 ° or , and consequently these are the values
2
that must be tested in the equation to ensure all solutions have been found.

Suggested applications and exemplar questions

1 π
 It is given that sin x= , where < x < π . What is the value of sin 2 x?
4 2
−7
A.
8
−√ 15
B.
8

C.
√15
8
7
D.
8
 Find all angles θ for which sin 2 θ=cos θ.
Note: The solution is θ=90 °+ m× 180° or 30 ° +m× 360° or 150 ° +m× 360° where m is
an arbitrary integer.
The generation of these solutions is an application of general pattern recognition or of
content from the Mathematics Advanced syllabus: M1.2 – Arithmetic sequences and
series.
 If 0 ≤ x ≤ 2 π find all values of x for which 8 cos x +15 sin x=1.
 (a) Prove that sin ( α + β ) sin ( α−β )=sin2 α−sin2 β .
(b) Use the relationship from part (a) to solve the equation sin2 2 α −sin2 α =sin 3 α for
0≤α ≤2π

 (a) Express cos x−sin x in the form R cos ( x +α ) where α is in radians.

(b) Hence or otherwise sketch the graph of y=cos x−sin x for 0 ≤ x ≤ 2 π .
θ 1−cosθ θ
 By using the substitution t=tan or otherwise, show that =tan .
2 sinθ 2
 (a) Show that sin x +sin 3 x=2 sin2 x cos x .
(b) Hence or otherwise find all the solutions of sin x +sin 2 x +sin 3 x=0 for 0 ≤ x ≤ 2 π .

 α and β are two acute angles.

(a) Show that

sin α +sin β
cos α +cos β
=tan
α+β
2 ( )
.

(b) If 3 sin α −4 cos α =4 cos β−3 sin β , find the value of tan ( α + β ) .
 The current flowing in a particular electrical circuit may be modelled by the function
f ( t )=3 sin 0.01 t+ 4 cos 0.01t .

Mathematics Extension 1 Year 12 Topic guide: Trigonometric functions, updated June 2020 Page 6 of 7
 (a) Express this function in the form f (t)= A sin (at – b).
(b) Sketch the graph of f (t).
(c) Find the time at which the current first attains its maximum value.
tan x
 Note that in the following question, students will need to have knowledge of lim =1
x →0 x
which arises in the proof of trigonometric derivatives.
θ 1 θ 1 θ
(a) Using the substitution t=tan , or otherwise, show that cot θ+ tan = cot .
2 2 2 2 2
(b) Use mathematical induction to prove that, for integers n ≥ 1,
x 1 x 1 x 1 x 1 x
tan + tan 2 + 2 tan 3 +…+ n−1 tan n = n−1 cot n −2 cot x .
2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2

(c) Show that lim tan

n→∞ ( x 1 x 1 x 1 x 2
)
+ tan 2 + 2 tan 3 + …+ n −1 tan n = −2 cot x .
2 2 2 2 2 2 2 x

π 1 π 1 π
(d) Hence find the exact value of tan + tan + tan + ….
4 2 8 4 16

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