Chapter 10

Further on Trigonometric Function

10.1. The Functions y = sec x, y = cosec x And y = cot x

➢ There are actually six trigonometric functions.
➢ The reciprocals of the ratios that define the sine, cosine and tangent functions are used to
define the remaining three trigonometric functions.
➢ These reciprocal functions of the acute angle 𝜃 are defined as follows.

The relationship of these trigonometric functions in a standard right angled triangle is shown
below.

Example: Given the triangle below, find: a) cot A b) csc B c) sec A d) csc A
Graphs o f 𝒚 = 𝒄𝒔𝒄 𝒙, 𝒚 = 𝒔𝒆𝒄 𝒙 and 𝒚 = 𝒄𝒐𝒕 𝒙
i) The graph of cosecant function has vertical asymptotes at the point where the graph of
the sine function crosses the x-axis.

ii) The graph of secant function has vertical asymptotes at the point where the graph of the
cosine function crosses the x-axis.

iii) The graph of cotangent function has vertical asymptotes at the point where the graph of
the tangent function crosses the x-axis.

Examples:
1. Determine each of the following values
𝜋 𝜋 7𝜋
a) sec( 4 ) b) csc (− 2 ) c) cot( 6 )

2. Simplify each of the following expressions.

 𝜋
a) sec 𝑥 sin 𝑥 b) csc(𝑥 + 2 ) c) sec 2 𝑥 − tan2 𝑥 = 1

10.2. Inverse of Trigonometric Functions

Inverse Notatio Notation Domain Range
function n
Inverse sin−1 𝑦 = sin−1 𝑥 iff 𝐷 = [−1,1 ] 𝑅 = (−∞, ∞)
sine or 𝑥 = sin 𝑦
arcsin

Inverse cos−1 𝑦 = cos −1

𝑥 iff 𝐷 = [−1,1 ] 𝑅 = (−∞, ∞)
cosine or 𝑥 = cos 𝑦
arccos

Inverse tan−1 𝑦 = tan −1

𝑥 iff 𝐷 = (−∞, ∞) 𝜋 𝜋
𝑅 = (− , )
2 2
tangent or 𝑥 = tan 𝑦
arctan

inverse cot −1 o 𝑦 = cot −1

𝑥 iff 𝐷 = (−∞, ∞) 𝑅 = (0, 𝜋)
cotange r 𝑥 = cot 𝑦
nt arccot
Inverse sec −1 𝑦 = sec −1
𝑥 iff |𝑥| ≥ 1 𝜋
[0, 𝜋], 𝑦 ≠
2
secant or 𝑥 = sec 𝑦
arcsec
Inverse 𝑐𝑠𝑐 −1 𝑦 = csc −1
𝑥 iff |𝑥| ≥ 1 𝜋 𝜋
[− , ] 𝑦
2 2
cosecant or 𝑥 = csc 𝑦
≠0
arccsc
Example: Find the values of the following
√2 4
a) sin−1 (− ) b) tan−1(−√3) c) tan (cos −1 (9))
2
10.3. Graphs of Some Trigonometric Functions
➢ If 𝑓 is a periodic function, the amplitude of 𝑓 is given by
𝑚𝑎𝑥𝑖𝑚𝑢𝑚 𝑣𝑎𝑙𝑢𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑓 − 𝑚𝑖𝑛𝑖𝑚𝑢𝑚 𝑣𝑎𝑙𝑢𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑓
|𝑎| =
2
Example:
1
1. The amplitude of 𝑦 = sin 𝑥 , 𝑦 = sin 2𝑥 , 𝑦 = sin 2 𝑥 and 𝑦 = cos(2𝑥 + 1) is 1.

2. The amplitude of 𝑦 = 2 cos 𝑥 is 2 and 𝑦 = −3 sin(2𝑥 − 2) + 1 is 3.

2𝜋
➢ The period of the function 𝑦 = sin(𝑘𝑥) or 𝑦 = cos(𝑘𝑥 + 𝑏) + 𝑐 is 𝑃 = if 𝑘 > 0.
𝑘

➢ 𝑦 = sin(𝑘𝑥 + 𝑏) + 𝑐 shifts
𝑏
i) < 0 units in the positive x-direction
𝑘
𝑏
ii) > 0 units in the negative x-direction
𝑘

iii) 𝑐 units in the 𝑦 direction (if 𝑐 > 0 postive y-direction and if 𝑐 < 0 negative y-
direction)
of the graphs of 𝑦 = sin(𝑘𝑥 + 𝑏) .
𝑏
Thus − 𝑘 is called phase shift and 𝑏 is called phase angle.
𝜋 2𝜋
Example: 𝑦 = −4 cos (2𝑥 − 2 ) − 3 has amplitude |𝑎| = 4, period 𝑃 = = 𝜋, the graph of
2

this function is obtained by shifting the graph of 𝑦 = −4 cos 2𝑥 by 3 units in the negative 𝑦
𝜋
direction and units in the positive 𝑥 direction.
4

In general, consider graphs of the more general forms: 𝑦 = 𝑎 𝑠𝑖𝑛 (𝑘𝑥 + 𝑏) + 𝑐 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑦 =
𝑎 𝑐𝑜𝑠 (𝑘𝑥 + 𝑏) + 𝑐. Then
i) Amplitude =|𝑎|
2𝜋
ii) Period 𝑃 = |𝑘|

iii) Range =[𝑐 − |𝑎|, 𝑐 + |𝑎|]

iv) Phase angle = −𝑏
𝑏
v) Phase shift = − 𝑘

Example: Draw the graph of 𝑦 = −5 cos(3𝑥 + 2) − 2.

Solution: First draw the graph of 𝑦 = – 5 𝑐𝑜𝑠 (3𝑥 + 2) and then shift it in the negative y-
direction by 2 units.
2𝜋 −2
Step 1: Period, 𝑃 = , amplitude = |𝑎| = |−5| = 5, phase shift = , phase angle = −2
3 3
2 2 2 𝜋
Step 2: Divide the interval [− 3 , 3 𝜋 − 3] into four equal intervals of length 6 .

Example: Draw the graphs of each of the following trigonometric functions for one cycle.
Indicate the amplitude, period, and phase shift.
1
a) 𝑓(𝑥) = cos(2𝑥) 𝑐) 𝑓(𝑥) = − 2 sin(2𝑥 − 1)
1 3𝜋 𝜋
b) 𝑓(𝑥) = 3 cos 𝑥 d) 𝑓(𝑥) = 2 − 2 cos( 2 𝑥 + 4 )

General solutions of trigonometric equations

Note:
1. If 𝑥1 is the particular solution of sin 𝑥 = 𝑏; |𝑏| ≤ 1 in −𝜋 ≤ 𝑥 ≤ 𝜋, then there is another
particular solution 𝑥2 in same range.
⟹ 𝑆. 𝑆 = {𝑥1 + 2𝑛𝜋, 𝑥2 + 2𝑛𝜋}
 2. If 𝑥1 is the particular solution of cos 𝑥 = 𝑏; |𝑏| ≤ 1 in −𝜋 ≤ 𝑥 ≤ 𝜋, then −𝑥1 is also a
particular solution in same range.
⟹ 𝑆. 𝑆 = {2𝑛𝜋 ± 𝑥1 }
𝜋 𝜋
3. If 𝑥1 is the particular solution of tan 𝑥 = 𝑏; in − 2 < 𝑥 < 2 , then the general solution is

given by
⟹ 𝑆. 𝑆 = {𝑥1 + 𝑛𝜋}
Example: Find the general solution set for each of the following trigonometric equations.
√3 √3
a) cos 𝑥 = b) tan 𝑥 = √3 c) sin 6𝑥 =
2 2

10.4. Application of Trigonometric Functions

1) Solving Triangles
In many situations, trigonometric functions can be used to determine a distance that is difficult to
measure directly. Two such cases are illustrated below.

(a) (b)
Each angle is formed by two lines: a horizontal line and a line of sight. If the angle is measured
upward from the horizontal, as in (a), then the angle is called an angle of elevation. If it is
measured downward as in (b), it is called an angle of depression.
Example 1: A surveyor is standing 50 m from the base of a large tree, as shown below. The
surveyor measures the angle of elevation to the top of the tree as 150 . How tall is the tree if the
surveyor is 1.72 m tall?
Example 2 :A woman standing on top of a cliff spots a boat in the sea, as given in the following
figure. If the top of the cliff is 70 m above the water level, her eye level is 1.6 m above the top of
the cliff and if the angle of depression is 300 , how far is the boat from a point at sea level that is
directly below the observer?

Law sine and law of cosine

➢ The trigonometric functions can also be used to solve triangles that are not right-angled
triangles. Such triangles are called oblique triangles.
➢ In order to solve oblique triangles, you need the law of sines and the law of cosines.
Note: When the included angle is 900 , the law of cosines is reduced to the Pythagorean
Theorem.
Example:

Trigonometric Formulae
1. Sum and difference formula
Example: Find the exact values of the following trigonometric functions without using a
calculator or tables.
17
a) sin 1650 b) cos 1050 c) tan 12 𝜋

2. Double angle and Half angle formula

2) Navigation
✓ In navigation, directions to and from a reference point are often given in terms of bearings.
✓ A bearing is an acute angle between a line of travel or line of sight and the north-south line.
✓ Bearings are usually given angles in degrees such as east or west of north, so that N q E is
read as 𝜃 east of north, and so on.
Example: The two bearings in the following figure are respectively,
a) 𝑁300 𝐸 b) 𝑆100 𝐸.
Example: Two boats A and B leave the same port P at the same time. A travels 60 km in the
direction N 750 W to port Q and B travels 80 km in the direction S 450 W to port R. Find the
distance between port Q and port R.
3) Optics Problem
Snell’s law of refraction, which was discovered by Dutch physicist Willebrord Snell (1591 –
1626), states that a light ray is refracted (bent) as it passes from a first medium into a second
medium according to the equation:
sin 𝛼
𝜇=
sin 𝛽
where 𝑎 is the angle of incidence and 𝑏 is the angle of refraction.
The Greek letter 𝜇(mu), is called the index of refraction of the second medium with respect to the
first.

Example: The refraction index of water with respect to air is 𝜇 = 1.33. Determine the angle of
refraction 𝛽 of a ray of light that strikes the water body with an angle of incidence 𝑎 = 450 .
4) Simple Harmonic Motion
A harmonic function is a function that can be written in the form
𝑔 (𝑡) = 𝑎 𝑐𝑜𝑠 𝑤 𝑡 + 𝑏 𝑠𝑖𝑛 𝑤𝑡.
Natural frequency of a function
𝜔
𝑓=
2𝜋
Example: An alternating current generator generates a current given by the formula
𝐼 = 20 𝑠𝑖𝑛 40𝜋𝑡, where t is time in seconds.
a) Determine the amplitude and the period.
b) What is the frequency of the current?