Trigonometry Angles are labeled with Greek letters α

(alpha), β (beta), and θ (theta), as well as

Qualifying Exams Reviewer uppercase letters A, B, and C.
Reviewer by: Mhieco

Degree Measure
Angles The measure of an angle is determined by
the amount of rotation from the initial side to
As derived from the Greek language, the
the terminal side. The most common unit of
word trigonometry means “measurement of
angle measure is the degrees, denoted by the
triangles”.
symbol °.
Initially, trigonometry dealt with
A measure of one degree (1°) is equivalent
relationships among the sides and angles of
to a rotation of 1/360° of a complete revolution
triangles.
about the vertex.
An angle is determined by rotating a ray
(half-line) about its endpoint.

So, a full revolution (counterclockwise)

corresponds to 360°, a half revolution to 180°, a
quarter revolution to 90°, and so on.

Recall that the four quadrants in a

The starting position of the ray is the initial coordinate system are numbered I, II, III, and IV.
side of the angle, and the position after rotation
is the terminal side.

The endpoint of the ray is the vertex of the

angle.

This perception of an angle fits a

coordinate system in which the origin is the
vertex and the initial side coincides with the
positive x-axis.

Positive angles are generated by

counterclockwise rotation, and negative angles
by clockwise rotation.
Common Angles and their Degree Measure

Coterminals

Two angles are coterminal if they have the

same initial and terminal sides. For instance,
the angles 0° and 360° are coterminal, as are
the angles 30° and 390°.

You can find an angle that is coterminal to

a given angle θ by adding or subtracting 360°
(one revolution).

A given angle θ has infinitely many

coterminal angles. For instance, θ = 30° is
coterminal with 30° + n(360°), where n is an
integer.

390° - 360° = 30°

Therefore, 390° and 30° are coterminals.

 Two positive angles α and β are Because 2π radians corresponds to one
complementary (complements of each other) if complete revolution, degrees and radians are
their sum is 90°. related by the equations 360° = 2πrad and 180°
= πrad.
Two positive angles are supplementary
(supplements of each other) if their sum is 180°. To convert degrees to radians, multiply
the degree measure into πrad/180°.

To convert radians to degrees, multiply

Radian Measure the radian measure into 180°/πrad.
A second way to measure angles is in
radians. This type of measure is especially
useful in calculus. To define a radian, you can The Six Trigonometric Functions
use a central angle of a circle, one whose vertex
is the center of the circle. Our first look at the trigonometric
functions is from a right triangle perspective.
θ = s/r, where:
Consider a right triangle, with one acute
s = arc angle labeled θ.

r = radius

Take note that θ = 1 when s = r.

Because the circumference of a circle is 2πr

units, it follows that a central angle of one full
revolution (counterclockwise) corresponds to
an arc length of s = 2πr.

In radian measure, the complement of an

angle is found by subtracting the angle from
π/2, which is equivalent to 90°. So, the
complement of θ = π/12 is 5π/12.

Relative to the angle θ, the three sides of

the triangle are the hypotenuse, the opposite
side (the side opposite the angle θ), and the
adjacent side (the side adjacent to the angle θ).

Using the lengths of these three sides, you

can form six ratios that define the six
trigonometric functions of the acute angle θ:
sine, cosecant, cosine, secant, tangent and
cotangent.
Conversion of Angle Measure
 These six functions are normally Often, you will be asked to find the
abbreviated as sin, csc, cos, sec, tan, and cot, trigonometric functions of a given acute angle
respectively. θ. To do this, construct a right triangle having θ
as one of its angles.

In the box, note that sin 30° = = cos 60°.

This occurs because 30° and 60° are
complementary angles.

In general, it can be shown from the right

Using the triangle below, let us find the six triangle definitions that cofunctions of
trigonometric functions! complementary angles are equal. That is, if θ is
an acute angle, the following relationships are
true.

Trigonometric Identities
Using Pythagorean Theorem, it follows
In trigonometry, a great deal of time is
that (hyp)² = (opp)² + (adj)², so hyp = √[(opp)² +
(adj)²]. By substituting, hyp = √(4)² + (3)². spent studying relationships between
Simplifying, we get hyp = 5. trigonometric functions (identities).

So, the six trigonometric functions are as

follow:

sin = opp/hyp = 4/5

cos = adj/hyp = 3/5

tan = opp/adj = 4/3

csc = hyp/opp = 5/4

sec = hyp/adj = 5/3

cot = adj/opp = 4/3

 Note that sin² θ represents (sin θ)², cos²
θrepresents (cos θ)², and so on.

Applications Involving Right Triangles

Many applications of trigonometry involve

a process called solving right triangles.

In this type of application, you are usually

given one side of a right triangle and one of the
acute angles and are asked to find one of the
other sides, or you are given two sides and are
asked to find one of the acute angles.

If the angle you are given is the angle of

elevation, it represents the angle from the
horizontal upward to an object.

If the angle you are given is the angle of

depression, it represents the angle from the
horizontal downward to an object.

Graphs of Trigonometric Functions

 Law of Sines can be used to solve triangles
of ASA (two angles and any side) and SSA (two
sides and an angle opposite to them).

The Law of Sines can also be rewritten in

its reciprocal form:

Law of Cosines

Two cases remain in the list of conditions

needed to solve an oblique triangle—SSS and
SAS.

If you are given three sides (SSS), or two

sides and their included angle (SAS), none of the
ratios in the Law of Sines would be complete.

In such cases, you can use the Law of

Cosines.

Law of Sines

To solve an oblique triangle, we need to

know the measure of at least one side and any
two other measures of the triangle—either two
sides, two angles, or one angle and one side.