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Handout 2003 1796

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38 views2 pages

Handout 2003 1796

Uploaded by

satvik.genius
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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TRIGONOMETRY IN OLYMPIAD GEOMETRY

LAMC OLYMPIAD GROUP, WEEK 8A

Trigonometry is the study of lengths in geometrical configurations, when certain angles are
known. It turns out that the whole study can be reduced to finding lengths in a right triangle.
We begin by defining the sine and cosine functions for angles 0 ď θ ď 90˝ . Given a right
triangle 4ABC with =B “ 90˝ and =A “ θ, we make the definitions
BC AB
sin θ – , cos θ – .
AC AC
These do not depend on the choice of the triangle, due to similarity. When fractions make
sense, one also defines the tangent, cotangent, secant, cosecant:
sin θ cos θ 1 1
tan θ – , cot θ – , sec θ “ , csc θ “ .
cos θ sin θ cos θ sin θ
The last two are seldom used. Here is a table for common values:
0˝ 15˝ 18˝ 30˝ b36˝ 45˝ 54˝ 60˝ b72˝ 75˝ 90˝
? ? ? ? ? ? ?
3´1 5´1 1 5´ 5 ?1 5`1 3 5` 5 3`1
sin θ 0 ? ? 1
2 2
? b4? ?
2
?
8 2 b4? 2
?
8 2 2
?
3`1 5` 5 3 5`1 ?1 5´ 5 1 5´1 3´1
cos θ 1 ?
2 2 8 2 4 2 8 2 4
?
2 2
0
The values of sine and cosine can be extended to the whole real line using Cartesian coordi-
nates on the unit circle. These are subject to the relations:
sinpα ˘ βq “ sin α cos β ˘ cos α sin β, cospα ˘ βq “ cos α cos β ¯ sin α sin β
sin θ ` cos2 θ “ 1.
2

Applying the transformation θ ÞÝÑ θ ` 90˝ cycles through the functions


sin ÞÝÑ cos ÞÝÑ ´ sin ÞÝÑ ´ cos ÞÝÑ sin ¨ ¨ ¨
while θ ÞÝÑ 90˝ ´ θ simply swaps sine and cosine. In particular, one also has
sinp´θq “ ´ sin θ, cosp´θq “ cospθq,
˝
sinp180 ´ θq “ sin θ.
It is also useful to know that on the interval r0˝ , 90˝ s, the function sin is strictly increasing,
and the function cos is strictly decreasing.
Perhaps the most important way to relate lengths to trigonometric functions is the law of
sines: in a triangle 4ABC with angles denoted A, B, C, side-lengths denoted a, b, c and the
radius of the circumcircle equal to R, one has
a b c
“ “ “ 2R.
sin A sin B sin C
In the same setting, the law of cosines states that
a2 “ b2 ` c2 ´ 2bc cos A.
1
2 LAMC OLYMPIAD GROUP, WEEK 8A

We can also relate areas to trigonometric functions; in the previous setting, the area of
4ABC is
b ¨ c ¨ sin A c ¨ a ¨ sin B a ¨ b ¨ sin C abc
rABCs “ “ “ “ .
2 2 2 4R
Finally, in a circle of radius R, the length of a chord determined by an angle θ ă 180˝ (at
the center of the circle) is ˆ ˙
θ
2R ¨ sin ,
2
which follows from the law of sines. Compare this to the length of the arc determined by θ,
θ
which is 2πR 360 ˝.

Problem 1. Let ABCD be a convex quadrilateral, X be the intersection of the diagonals,


and α :“ =AXB. Show that the area of ABCD is AC¨BD
2
sin α
.

Problem 2. In a triangle 4ABC, points D and E lie on BC (in the order B, D, E, C) such
that =BAD “ =CAE and BD “ CE. Show that 4ABC is isosceles.
AD AC
Hint: Try showing that AE
“ AB
using the law of sines.

Problem 3 (Angle Bisector Theorem). Show, using the law of sines, that in a triangle
AB AC
4ABC with bisector AD (D P BC), one has BD “ CD .

Problem 4. Given an equliateral triangle 4ABC inscribed in a circle C and a point P on


the shorter arc BC, show that AP “ BP ` CP . Hint: Try expressing the three lengths in
terms of cosines of angles.

Problem 5. Let AM be a median in an acute triangle 4ABC (M P BC, BM “ M C)


and D be on the opposite side of BC such that =CBD “ =BCD “ =BAC. Show that
=BAD “ =CAM (in other words, the line AD is the symmedian).
1
Problem 6. (a) Compute sin 15˝ using sin 30˝ “ 2
and a quadratic equation.
(b) Compute sin 36˝ from the following construction: let 4ABC have =A “ 36, =B “ 72,
=C “ 72, and draw the bisector CD (C P AB). Hint: Denote x :“ AD, y :“ BD, express
all other lengths in terms of x and y, and use trigonometry.
(c) Deduce all of the other values from the table of sines on the previous page (you only
need to compute the line of sin θ, and don’t need to mention 0˝ or 90˝ ).

Problem 7. (a) For angles x and y, show (using the formulas for sinpx ` yq and cospx ` yq)
that
tan x ˘ tan y
tanpx ˘ yq “ ,
1 ¯ tan x tan y
whenever the expression above is well-defined (don’t divide by zero!).
(b) Show that in a triangle 4ABC, with angles A, B, C, one has
tan A ` tan B ` tan C “ tan A tan B tan C.
This is also known as the law of tangents.

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