MATD231: TRIGONOMETRY (LECTURE 1) By Nana Akosua Owusu-Ansah

LINES
Two distinct points 𝐴 and 𝐵 determine a line called line 𝑨𝑩

𝑨 𝑩
The portion of the line, 𝐴𝐵 between 𝐴 and 𝐵 including points 𝐴 and 𝐵
themselves is line segment 𝑨𝑩

𝑨 𝑩
LINES (CONT’D)
The portion of line 𝐴𝐵 that starts at 𝐴, continues through 𝐵 and beyond 𝐵 is called
ray 𝑨𝑩

𝑨 𝑩
 ANGLES
An angle is formed by rotating a ray around its endpoint

𝑇𝑒𝑟𝑚𝑖𝑛𝑎𝑙 𝑠𝑖𝑑𝑒

𝑇𝑒𝑟𝑚𝑖𝑛𝑎𝑙 𝑠𝑖𝑑𝑒

𝑥
𝑉𝑒𝑟𝑡𝑒𝑥 𝐼𝑛𝑖𝑡𝑖𝑎𝑙 𝑠𝑖𝑑𝑒
𝑉𝑒𝑟𝑡𝑒𝑥 𝐼𝑛𝑖𝑡𝑖𝑎𝑙 𝑠𝑖𝑑𝑒
TYPES OF ANGLES
An angle, “𝒂” is a positive angle if it is generated by a counter
clockwise rotation 𝑦

𝑎
𝑥
TYPES OF ANGLES (CONT’D)
An angle, “𝒃” is a negative angle if it generated by a clockwise rotation

𝑥
𝑎
TYPES OF ANGLES (CONT’D)
We say an angle, “𝒂” is in standard position when it has its initial side coinciding with the
positive 𝑥 − 𝑎𝑥𝑖𝑠 with its vertex at the origin
𝑦 𝑦

𝑎
𝑥 𝑥
𝑎
DEGREE MEASURE

360 degrees is obtained from a complete rotation of a ray

1 degree represents 1 360 of a rotation

90° represents 1 4 of a complete rotation

180° represents 1 2 of a complete rotation

DEGREE MEASURE (CONT’D)
If an angle has measure greater than 0°
but less than 90°, then it is called an acute 𝟎° < 𝜶 < 𝟗𝟎°
angle 𝛼

𝜃 𝟗𝟎° < 𝜽 < 𝟏𝟖𝟎°

If an angle has measure greater than 90°
but less than 180°, then it called an obtuse
angle
DEGREE MEASURE (CONT’D)
If an angle has measure exactly 90°, it is 𝜶 = 𝟗𝟎°
right angle
𝛼

𝜽 = 𝟏𝟖𝟎°
If an angle has measure equal to 180° is 𝜃
called a straight angle
 DEGREE MEASURE (CONT’D)
If the sum of the measures of two positive angles is 90°, the two

angles are called complementary angles

If the sum of the measures of two positive angles is 180°, the two

angles are called supplementary angles

EXAMPLE
Find the measure of each angle in the figure below:

a) b)

6𝑎 6𝑘

3𝑎 4𝑘
SOLUTION
a) 6a + 3a = 90°
9a = 90°
a = 10°
∴ 3a = 30°, 6a = 60°

b) 4k + 6k = 180°
10k = 180°
k = 18°
∴ 4k = 72°, 6k = 108°
 CONVERSION BETWEEN DEGREES, MINUTES AND
SECONDS
A degree (1°) is defined as the measure of the central angle
subtended by an arc of a circle equal to 1 360 of the circumference
of the circle
One minute, written as 𝟏′ is a sixtieth of a degree
Ie. 𝟏′ = 𝟏 𝟔𝟎 ° ⇒ 𝟔𝟎 ′
= 𝟏°
One second, written as 1′′ is a sixtieth of a minute
′′ 1 ′
Ie. 𝟏 = 60 = 𝟏 𝟑𝟔𝟎𝟎 ° ⇒ 𝟔𝟎" = 𝟏′
EXAMPLE
1. Convert 74° 8′ 14" to decimal degrees.
2. Convert
a)34.817°
b)29.23° to degrees, minutes and seconds
′
3. What is 78.17 in decimal degrees
SOLUTION
1. 74° 8′ 14" = 74° + 8 60 ° + 14 3600 °

= 74.137°

2. a) 34.817° = 34° + 0.817°

= 34° + 0.817 60′
= 34° + 49.02′
= 34° + 49′ + 0.02′
= 34° + 49′ + 0.02 60”
SOLUTION (CONT’D)
= 34° + 49′ + 1.2”
= 34° 49′ 1.2"

b) 29.23° = 29° + 0.23 60′

= 29° + 13′ + 0.8 60′′
= 29° 13′ 48"

3. 78.17′ = 78 + 17 60

= 78.283°
RADIAN MEASURE
An angle with its vertex at the centre of a circle and terminal side that intercepts an
arc on the circle equal in length to the radius of the circle has a measure of 1 radian

𝑠
𝜃
𝑥
𝑟
CRITICAL THINKING

What does it mean for an angle to have a

radian measure of 2?
RADIAN MEASURE (CONT’D)

If 𝜃 is a central angle of a circle of radius 𝑟 and its

terminal side intercepts an arc of length 𝑠, then the radian
measure of 𝜃 = 𝑠 𝑟

This implies that 𝑨𝒓𝒄 𝒍𝒆𝒏𝒈𝒕𝒉 (𝒔) = 𝒓𝜽

CONVERSION BETWEEN DEGREES AND RADIANS
An angle of 360° = 2𝜋 radians
An angle of 180° = 𝜋 radians

180° = 𝜋,
⇒ 1° = 𝜋 180 radians

Multiply a degree measure by 𝜋 180 rad to convert to radians

CONVERSION BETWEEN DEGREES AND RADIANS
(CONT’D)
Similarly, 𝜋 = 180°,

⇒1 radian = 180° 𝜋

Multiply a radian measure by 180° 𝜋 to convert to degree

EXAMPLE
1. Convert
a)45°
b)135°
c) 15° to radians
2. Convert − 𝜋 2 to degree measure
3. What is the radian equivalent of 249.8°
SOLUTION
1. a) 45° × 𝜋 180° =𝜋 4

b) 135° × 𝜋 180° = 3𝜋 4

c) 15° × 𝜋 180° = 𝜋
12

2. − π 2 × 180° π = −90°

3. 249.8° × π 180° = 4.359

COTERMINAL ANGLES
Angles “𝑎” and “𝑏” are coterminal if they have the same
initial side and terminal side
𝑦 𝑦

𝑏 = 𝑎 − 360° 𝑏 = 𝑎 + 360°

𝑎
𝑎
𝑥 𝑥
𝑏 𝑏
LINEAR AND ANGULAR VELOCITIES
Consider a point moving on a circular path,

𝑑𝑖𝑠𝑝𝑙𝑎𝑐𝑒𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑑𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒
𝐿𝑖𝑛𝑒𝑎𝑟 𝑣𝑒𝑙𝑜𝑐𝑖𝑡𝑦(𝑣) = or
𝑡𝑖𝑚𝑒 𝑡𝑎𝑘𝑒𝑛 𝑡𝑖𝑚𝑒

𝐯=𝒔 𝒕
 LINEAR AND ANGULAR VELOCITIES (CONT’D)
Velocities illustration

𝑨𝒏𝒈𝒖𝒍𝒂𝒓 𝒗𝒆𝒍𝒐𝒄𝒊𝒕𝒚 𝝎 = 𝜽 𝒕 ,

𝑡 = 𝑡𝑖𝑚𝑒 𝑡𝑎𝑘𝑒𝑛, 𝜃 = 𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑙𝑒 𝑠𝑤𝑒𝑝𝑡

The unit for 𝜔 could be °𝑠 −1 , 𝑟𝑎𝑑𝑠 −1 , 𝑚𝑖𝑛𝑢𝑡𝑒𝑠 𝑝𝑒𝑟 𝑠𝑒𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑑 (′/𝑠) etc
depending on the unit for the angle and the unit for the period.
 RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN LINEAR AND ANGULAR
VELOCITY
𝐋𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐜𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐯 = 𝒔 𝒕

From the definition of arc length, 𝑠 = 𝜃𝑟 ∴ 𝒗 = 𝜽𝒓 𝒕

𝜃
And 𝑨𝒏𝒈𝒖𝒍𝒂𝒓 𝒗𝒆𝒍𝒐𝒄𝒊𝒕𝒚 𝝎 = 𝜽
𝒕 ,∴ 𝑣=𝑟∙ ≡ 𝝎𝒓
𝑡
since 𝜔 = 𝜃 𝑡

To covert between angular and linear velocities, we use 𝑣 = 𝜔𝑟

EXAMPLE
Suppose a CD player spins at the same speed. Suppose at this

constant angular speed, it makes 480 𝑟𝑒𝑣𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑠 𝑝𝑒𝑟 𝑚𝑖𝑛𝑢𝑡𝑒.

Through how many degrees will a point on the edge of a CD move

in 2 𝑠𝑒𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑑𝑠?
SOLUTION
The player revolves 480 times in 1 minute

⇒ it revolves 480 60 𝑡𝑖𝑚𝑒𝑠 = 8 𝑡𝑖𝑚𝑒𝑠 in a second

Hence there are 8 × 2 𝑟𝑒𝑣𝑠 = 16 revolutions for the 2 seconds of

motion

A revolution implies 360° of motion hence 16 𝑟𝑒𝑣𝑠: 16 × 360°

∴ a point on the edge of a CD will sweep 5,760° in 2 𝑠𝑒𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑑𝑠

EXAMPLE

Find the radius of the circular path taken by a point

if it has velocities 20𝜋 𝑐𝑚𝑠 −1 and 20𝜋 𝑟𝑎𝑑𝑠 −1

SOLUTION
20𝜋𝑐𝑚𝑠 −1 = 𝑙𝑖𝑛𝑒𝑎𝑟 𝑣𝑒𝑙𝑜𝑐𝑖𝑡𝑦, 𝑣 since its unit indicate a component of
length in 𝑐𝑚

80𝜋𝑟𝑎𝑑𝑠 −1 = 𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑢𝑙𝑎𝑟 𝑣𝑒𝑙𝑜𝑐𝑖𝑡𝑦, 𝜔 because of 𝑟𝑎𝑑 (a unit of angular

measure) in the unit

𝑣 = 𝜔𝑟 ⇒ 𝑟 = 𝑣 𝜔

𝑟𝑎𝑑𝑖𝑢𝑠, 𝑟 = 20𝜋 80𝜋 = 1 4 𝑐𝑚

 EXAMPLE

It takes three halves of a second for children on a merry go round (6 𝑚𝑒𝑡𝑟𝑒𝑠

wide) to return to their initial positions. If Nimoh decides to jump off as the ride

is still spinning, calculate the velocity at which she will be jumping off with

assuming that the ride is spinning at constant velocity.

SOLUTION
Each child would have completed one revolution after he has gotten to his

initial position

⇒ 𝜃 = 1𝑟𝑒𝑣 = 2𝜋

𝐷𝑖𝑎𝑚𝑒𝑡𝑒𝑟, 𝑑 = 6𝑚

Also, 𝑡 = 3 2 𝑠

−1
𝜔=𝜃 𝑡 = 2𝜋
2
3 = 4𝜋 3 𝑟𝑎𝑑𝑠
SOLUTION (CONT’D)

If Nimoh jumps off, he will possess linear velocity only

𝑟𝑎𝑑𝑖𝑢𝑠, 𝑟 = 𝑑 2 = 3𝑚

𝑣 = 𝜔𝑟

⇒𝑣=3 4𝜋
3

𝑣 = 4𝜋𝑚𝑠 −1
REFERENCES
Adams, R. A. (2006). Calculus A Complete Course 6th Edition. Pearson Education
Canada Inc., Toronto, Ontario.

Stewart, J., Redlin, L., & Watson, S. (2006). PRECALCULUS: Mathematics for Calculus
(5th Edition). USA: Thomson Learning, Inc.

Moyer, R.E. & Ayers F. Jnr. (1999). Trigonometry 3rd Edition. Schaum’s Outline Series
Theory and Problems of Trigonometry with calculator based solutions.
McGraw-Hill