CHAPTER 3: TRIGONOMETRY

I. INTRODUCTION
Trigonometry is the branch of mathematics concerned with the measurement of the parts,
sides, and angles of a triangle. Plane trigonometry, which is the topic of this book, is
restricted to triangles lying in a plane. Trigonometry is based on certain ratios, called
trigonometric functions, to be defined in the next section.
The early applications of the trigonometric functions were to surveying, navigation, and
engineering. These functions also play an important role in the study of all sorts of vibratory
phenomena—sound, light, electricity, etc. As a consequence, a considerable portion of the
subject matter is concerned with a study of the properties of and relations among the
trigonometric functions

II. MEASURES OF ANGLES AND APPLICATIONS

II.1. Measurement of an Angle
The measurement of an angle is the amount of rotation from the initial side to the terminal
side.

II.2. Sense of an Angle

The sense of angle is positive or negative according as the initial side rotates in anti-
clockwise or clockwise direction to get the terminal side .

II.2.1. Types of angles

An angle θ is defined to be
1) An acute angle, if 0° ≤θ< 90 °
2) An obtuse angle, if 90° <θ<180 °
3) A reflex angle, if 180° <θ<360 °
4) A right angle, if θ=90 °
5) A straight angle, if θ=180°
II.2.2. Coterminal Angles
Two angles having different measures but same initial and terminal sides are said to be
coterminal angles. For example:
1) Angles with measure −30 ° and 330 ° are coterminal,
2) Angles with measure 45 ° and −315 ° are coterminal.

II.3. System of Measuring Angles

There are three systems of measuring angles:

1) Sexagesimal system
2) Centesimal system
3) Circular system

II.3.1. sexagesimal System

In sexagesimal system, we have 1 right angle = 90 degrees (90° ), 1° = 60 minutes = (60’),

1’ = 60 seconds = (60”).
Some of the angles whose measures are 360° , 180° ,270 ° , 420 ° ,and −30 ° are shown in
figures below:

II.3.2. Centesimal System

In centesimal system, we have 1 right angle = 100 grades = (100g), 1g = 100 minutes =
(100’), 1’ = 100 seconds = (100”).

II.3.3. Circular System

In circular system, the unit of measurement is radian. One radian, written as 1 c, is the
measure of an angle subtended at the centre of a circle by an arc of length equal to the
radius of the circle. Following figures show the angles whose measure are: 1 radian and
−1 radian.

II.4. Relation Between θ, l and r

If in a circle of radius r , an arc of length l subtends an angle of θ radians, then l=rθ or
θ=l/r .

Note: here l , r are in the same units and θ is always in radians.

II.5. Relation Between Three Systems of Measurement of an Angle

π Radian = π c = 180° = 200 g = 2 lr ∠s = 2 right angles.

II.5.1. Conversion Formula

II.6. Relation Between Degree and Radian

Since a circle subtends at centre, an angle whose radian measure is 2 π and its degree
measure is 360° , it follows that : 2 π radian = 360° or π radian = 180° .

[Link] FUNCTIONS AND IDENTITIES

III.1. Triangles
All triangles possess shape and size. The shape of a triangle is governed by the three
angles (which always add up to 180) and the size by the lengths of the three sides. Two
triangles can possess the same shape – possess the same angles – but be of different sizes.
We say that two such triangles are similar.

A significant feature of similar figures is that lengths of corresponding sides are all in the
same ratio so that, for example, in the similar triangles ABC and A ' B' C ' in the figure
AB AC BC
here above: = =
A' B' A'C' B'C'
So, from a knowledge of the ratios of the sides of a given triangle we can make
deductions about any triangle that is similar to it. For example, if in triangle ABC of the
above figure: AB=2 cm; AC=5 cm and AB=¿ 4 cm
And in triangle A ' B' C ' , A ' B'=3 cm, the length of A ' C ' can be found as follows:
AB AC AB 2 AC 5 2 ' ' 5 ×3
Since = and = then = = giving A C = =7.5
A' B' A'C' A' B' 3 A' C' A 'C' 3 2
cm.
This means that the length of B' C ' =????
III.2 T-Ratios or trigonometric Functions.
 The triangle ABC has a right angle at C , as denoted by the small square. Because of this,

by θ (theta) where side AC is opposite θ , side BC is adjacent to θ and side AB is

the triangle ABC is called a right-angled triangle. In this triangle the angle at B is denoted

called the hypotenuse, we define the following trigonometric ratios:

opposite AC
Sine of angle θ as = – this ratio is denoted by sin θ
hypotenuse AB
adjacent BC
Cosine of angle θ as = – this ratio is denoted by cos θ
hypotenuse AB
opposite AC
Tangent of angle θ as = – this ratio is denoted by tan θ
adjacent BC
III.3 Reciprocal ratios
In addition to the three trigonometric ratios, there are three reciprocal ratios, namely the
cosecant (cosec), the secant (sec) and the cotangent (cot) where:
1 1 1 cos θ
Cosec θ= , secθ= and cot θ= =
sinθ cosθ tanθ sin θ
The values of these for a given angle can also e found using a calculator by finding the
appropriate trigonometric ratio and then pressing the reciprocal key – the x−1 key.
III.4 Pythagoras’ theorem
All right-angled triangles have a property in common that is expressed in pythagoras’
theorem.
The square of the hypotenuse side of a right-angled triangle is equal to the sum of the
squares of the other two sides.

So, in the figure here above:

2 2 2
a =b +c
Note how the letter for each side length corresponds to the opposite angle ( a is opposite angle
A , etc.); this is the common convention.
Example: If a right-angled triangle has a hypotenuse of length 8, and one other side of length
3. Find the length of the third side to 3 decimal position (3dp).
III.5 Special Triangles
III.5.1. Right-angled Isosceles Triangle
Two right-angled triangles are of special interest because the trigonometric ratios of their
angles be given in surd (irrational) or fractional form. The first is the right-angled isosceles
triangle (an isosceles triangle is any triangle with two sides of equal length). Since the angles
of any triangle add up to 180 ° , the angles in a right-angled isosceles triangle are 90 ° , 45° and
π π π
45° (or, in radians, , and ) with side lengths, therefore, in the ratio 1 : 1 : √ 2 (by
2 4 4
Pythagoras’ theorem).
The second right-angled triangle of interest is the half equilateral triangle with side lengths
(again, by Pythagoras) in the ratio 1 : √ 3 : 2.

For the right-angled isosceles triangle, we see that:

1 and
sin 45 ° =cos 45 °= tan 45 °=1. Or, measuring the angles in radians
√ 2
π π 1 π
sin =cos = and tan ¿ 1.
4 4 √2 4
For the half equilateral triangle, we see that:

sin 30 °=cos 60° = , sin 60 °=cos 30° = √ 3 and tan60 ° =

1 1
= √3.
2 2 tan 30°
Or, measuring the angles in radians
π 1
π π 1 π π √ 3 tan = =√ 3
sin =cos = , sin =cos = and 3 π .
6 3 2 3 6 2 tan
6
III.5.2. Half Equilateral Triangle
An equilateral triangle is a triangle whose sides are all the same length and whose angles are
π
all equal to 60° (or, in radians, ).
3

III.6 Fundamental trigonometric Identities.

III.6.1. The Fundamental Identity.
Given the right-angled triangle of the figure here below with vertices A , B and C , sides
opposite the vertices of a , b and hypotenuse c and θ at B then:

2 2 2
a + b =c
Dividing both sides by c 2 gives:

()()
2 2
a b
+ =1
c c
a b
Because =cos θ and =sin θ this equation can be written as:
c c

cos θ+ sin θ=1.

2 2

Where the notation cos 2 θ=( cosθ )2 and sin2 θ= ( sinθ )2. Since this equation is true for any angle
θ, the equation is in fact an identity:
2 2
cos θ+ sin θ=1 and is called the fundamental trigonometric identity.
III.6.2. Trigonometric Formulas.
1. Sums and differences of angles

cos (θ+ ϕ )=cos θ cos ϕ−sin θ sin ϕ sin ( θ+ ϕ )=sin θ cos ϕ +cos θ sin ϕ
cos (θ−ϕ )=cos θ cos ϕ+sin θ sin ϕ sin ( θ−ϕ )=sin θ cos ϕ−cos θ sin ϕ

sin ( θ+ ϕ ) sin θ cos ϕ+ cos θ sin ϕ

tan (θ+ ϕ )= =
cos ( θ+ ϕ ) cos θ cos ϕ +sin θ sin ϕ
Now dividing numerator and denominator by cos θ cos ϕ
tan θ+ tan ϕ
tan (θ+ ϕ )=
1−tanθ tan ϕ
tan θ−tan ϕ
tan (θ−ϕ )=
1+ tanθ tan ϕ

2. Double angles
Double angle formulas come from the above formulas for sums when θ=ϕ :
sin 2 θ=2 sin θ cos θ
2 2 2 2
cos 2 θ=cos θ−sin θ=2 cos θ−1=1−2 sin θ
2 tan θ
tanθ= 2
1−tan θ
For future reference, other identities for sums, differences and products of the trigonometric
ratios will be deduced and proved by using the earlier identities and showing that RHS =
LHS as that will be cases for the sums, differences, and products of ratios hereafter.
3. Sums and differences of ratios
θ+ ϕ θ−ϕ
sin θ+sin ϕ=2 sin cos
2 2
θ+ϕ θ−ϕ
sin θ−sin ϕ=2 cos sin
2 2
θ+ ϕ θ−ϕ
cos θ+ cos ϕ=2cos cos
2 2
θ+ ϕ θ−ϕ
cos θ−cos ϕ=−2 sin sin
2 2
4. Products of ratios
2 sin θ cos ϕ=sin (θ+ ϕ ) +sin ( θ−ϕ )
2 cos θ cos ϕ=cos ( θ+ ϕ )+ cos ( θ−ϕ )
2 sin θ sin ϕ=cos (θ−ϕ )−cos ( θ+ ϕ )