PRECALCULUS

2nd Quarter MODULE No.2 UNIVERSITY OF MAKATI

HIGHER SCHOOL NG UMAK
UNIT CIRCLE AND CIRCULAR FUNCTIONS


LEARNING OBJECTIVES
At the end of the lesson, the students should be able to:
1. solve for arc length and central angle;
2. illustrate the unit circle and the relationship between the linear and angular measures of a
central angle in a unit circle; and
3. illustrate and find the exact values of the different circular functions.

INTRODUCTION

The unit circle will first be used to illustrate arc length and central angle. The Pythagorean theorem as
well as special right triangles will be used to find points on the unit circle. Then, the unit circle will be used to
define the trigonometric functions and to find the exact values of trigonometric ratios.

CONTENT

Arc Length
The arc length (Figure 1) is the length 𝑠 of the arc intercepted on a circle
of radius 𝑟 by a central angle of measure 𝜃 radians is given by the product of the
radius and the radian measure of the angle, or 𝑠 = 𝑟𝜃, where 𝜃 is in radians.
The radian measure 𝜃 of the central angle of a circle is defined as the ratio of
the arc length 𝑠 to the radius of the circle 𝑟.
Formulas:
!
𝜃 = ! or 𝑠 = 𝑟𝜃

To apply these formulas, 𝜃 must be expressed in radians. Figure 1

Example 1: A circle has radius 18.2 cm. Find the length of the arc intercepted by a central angle having each
of the following measures.
!!
a. b. 144°
!

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 Solution: For this problem, use 𝑟 = 18.2
a. Since the angle given is in radians, directly substitute the values into the formula.
3𝜋 54.6𝜋
𝑠 = 𝑟𝜃 = 18.2 = ≈ 21.4 cm
8 8
b. Convert 144° to radians before applying the formula.
𝜋 4𝜋
144° = 144° = radians
180 5
!! !".!!
𝑠 = 𝑟𝜃 = 18.2 !
= !
≈ 45.7 cm !

Example 2: A rope is being wound around a drum with radius 0.8725 𝑓𝑡. How
much rope will be wound around the drum if the drum is rotated through an angle of
39.72°?

Solution: Apply the formula, but convert the angle measurement 39.72° to Figure 2

radians.
!
𝑠 = 𝑟𝜃 = 0.8725 39.72° !"#
≈ 0.6049 ft !

Example 3: Two gears are adjusted so that the smaller gear drives the larger one,
as shown in Figure 3. If the smaller gear rotates through 225°, through how many
degrees will the larger gear rotate?

Solution: Find the radian measure of the given angle and then find the arc Figure 3

length on the smaller gear that determines the motion of the larger gear.
𝜋 5𝜋
225° = 225° =
180 4
5𝜋 12.5𝜋 25𝜋
𝑠 = 𝑟𝜃 = 2.5 = = cm
4 4 8
An arc with this length on the larger gear corresponds to an angle measure 𝜃, in radians where

𝑠 25𝜋 8 125𝜋
𝜃= = =
𝑟 4.8 192
The angle obtained is in radians. For the final answer, simply convert 𝜃 to degrees.
!"#! !"#°
!"# !
≈ 117° !

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The Unit Circle
A unit circle has its center at the origin and a radius of 1
unit. Consider a unit circle drawn on a coordinate plane (Figure 4).
It is easy to identify the coordinates of points where the terminal
side of each quadrantal angle intersects the unit circle. But for
angles whose terminal sides do not lie on the quadrants, we will
use the properties of special triangles: 45° − 45° − 90° and
30° − 60° − 90°, as well as the Pythagorean theorem:
𝑥 ! + 𝑦 ! = 1. Figure 4

Since the point 𝑥, 𝑦 is on the terminal side of
the angle 45° which is halfway along the arc between
0° and 90° in the first quadrant, the triangle formed is
a 45° − 45° − 90° which is an isosceles right triangle
(Figure 5). The hypotenuse of the right triangle is the
radius of the circle which is 1. Using the Pythagorean
theorem, 𝑥 ! + 𝑦 ! = 1, where 𝑥 = 𝑦 since an
isosceles right triangle has 2 legs with equal sides,
then
2𝑥 ! = 1
1
𝑥! =
2
! !
𝑥 = !
= !

Figure 5
2
𝑦=
2

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 ! ! !
Use the same approach for 30° and 60° (Figure 6 & 7). Remember that 45° = ! , 30° = ! and 60° = ! .

Figure 6 Figure 7

Example 4: Find the coordinates of points where the sides of the following angles terminate.
!!
a. 0 c.
!
!!
b. − !!
! d. !

Solution: Consider if the given angle is a quadrantal or if the angle has a reference angle of either 30°,
45°, or 60°.
a. Since 0 is a quadrantal angle, the coordinates of the terminal point lie on the positive 𝑥-axis
and from Figure 4, the coordinates are (1,0). The answer can be written as 𝑃 0 = (1,0).
!! !
b. The angle − !
is coterminal with ! , which is a quadrantal angle. The coordinates of the
!!
terminal point lie on the positive 𝑦-axis which is (0,1) or 𝑃 − !
= (0,1).
!!
c. The angle ! = 120°. The reference angle of 120° is 60°. From Figure 7, the coordinates of
! ! !
60° or ! is !
, !
.

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 !!
But since angle 120° or ! is located in quadrant II, that makes the 𝑥-coordinate negative
!! ! !
and the 𝑦-coordinate positive. So, 𝑃 !
= −!, !
.

!!
d. The angle ! in degree measure is 315°, its reference angle is 45°, and its terminal side lies
! ! ! !! ! !
in the fourth quadrant. Since 𝑃 !
= !
, !
, therefore, 𝑃 !
= !
,− !
. !

To easily remember the coordinates of quadrantal
angles and special angles, always consider the unit circle
(Figure 8). Just remember that the sign of the coordinates
depend on the quadrant where the terminal side lies.

The Circular Functions
With the unit circle (Figure 8), the six circular
functions are as follows:
sin 𝜃 = 𝑦 1
csc 𝜃 = ;𝑦 ≠ 0
𝑦
cos 𝜃 = 𝑥 1
sec 𝜃 = ;𝑥 ≠ 0
𝑥
𝑦 𝑥
tan 𝜃 = ; 𝑥 ≠ 0 cot 𝜃 = ; 𝑦 ≠ 0 Figure 8
𝑥 𝑦

!! !! !!
Example 5: Find the exact circular function values of sin !
, cos !
, and tan !
.
!!
Solution: Evaluation a circular function at the real number 𝑠, is equivalent to evaluating it at ! radians.
!! ! !
An angle of ! intersects the unit circle (Figure 8) at the point !
,− !
. Since sin 𝑠 = 𝑦, cos 𝑠 = 𝑥, and
!
tan 𝑠 = ! , then by susbstituting the corresponding coordinate into the equation will result to

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 !! ! !! !
sin !
=− !
, cos !
= !
, and
!
!! !
tan !
= !
!
= −1. !
!

Example 6: Determine the exact value of:
!!! !!
a. cot − b. sec c. csc −3𝜋
! !

Solution: Consider the unit circle in Figure 8 as well as coterminal angles to evaluate the given functions.
!!! ! ! ! !
a. Since the angle − !
is coterminal with ! , use the coordinates !
, ! . Applying cot 𝑠 = !,

the result will be

!
!!! ! !
cot − !
= !
! = !
∙ ! = 3
!

!
b. Using the definition of secant, sec 𝜃 = !. Therefore,
!! ! !
sec !
=!= ! = −2
!
!

c. The angle −3𝜋 is coterminal with 𝜋, so the coordinates to be used will be (−1,0). By
!
definition, csc 𝜃 = ! ; 𝑦 ≠ 0 . Substituting the values into the equation, makes the function

undefined.
!
csc −3𝜋 = ! = undefined !

ASSESSMENT

A. Given a circle with radius 𝑟, and one other information arc length 𝑠 or central angle 𝜃, find the
unknown.
1. 𝑟 = 2.5 cm; 𝜃 = 𝜋; find 𝑠. 3. 𝑟 = 25 cm; 𝑠 = 9 cm; find 𝜃.
!
2. 𝑟 = 8 cm; 𝜃 = ! ; find 𝑠.

B. Find the coordinates of the points where the sides of the given angles terminate.
!! !!
1. 2. − 3. 5𝜋
! !

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C. Evaluate each of the following.
!! !! !! !
1. cos !
2. cot 3. csc 4. tan − !
! !

HOMEWORK

An angle 𝜃 in standard position terminates on the second quadrant and intersects the unit circle on
! !
− !" , !" . Evaluate the six circular functions.

REFERENCES

Lesson:
Lial, M. (2005). Trigonometry. 8th edition. Boston, Massachusetts: Pearson Education Inc.
Tamayo, J. (2017). Conceptual Math and Beyond: Precalculus. Novaliches, QC: Brillant Creations Publishing, Inc.

Videos:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6BRtPfofXog

https://www.khanacademy.org/math/trigonometry/unit-circle-trig-func/unit-circle-definition-of-trig-
functions/v/unit-circle-definition-of-trig-functions-1

Prepared by: ANZURES, NINA RHODORA G.

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