NAME _____________________________________________ DATE ____________________________ PERIOD _____________

12-1 Study Guide and Intervention

Trigonometric Functions in Right Triangles
Trigonometric Functions for Acute Angles Trigonometry is the study of relationships among the angles and sides
of a right triangle. A trigonometric function has a rule given by a trigonometric ratio, which is a ratio that compares the
side lengths of a right triangle.
Trigonometric Functions
If θ is the measure of an acute angle of a right triangle, opp is the measure of the leg
in Right Triangles opposite θ, adj is the measure of the leg adjacent to θ, and hyp is the measure of the
hypotenuse, then the following are true.
opp adj opp
sin θ = cos θ = tan θ =
hyp hyp adj
hyp hyp adj
csc θ = sec θ = cot θ =
opp adj opp

𝟑
Example: In a right triangle, ∠ B is acute and cos B = 𝟕. Find the value of tan B.
Step 1 Draw a right triangle and label one acute angle B. Label the adjacent side 3 and the hypotenuse 7.

Step 2 Use the Pythagorean Theorem to find b.

𝑎2 + 𝑏 2 = 𝑐 2 Pythagorean Theorem

32 + 𝑏 2 = 72 a = 3 and c = 7

9 + 𝑏 2 = 49 Simplify.
2
𝑏 = 40 Subtract 9 from each side.

b = √40 or 2√10 Take the positive square root of each side.

Step 3 Find tan B.

opp
tan B = Tangent function
adj

2√10
tan B = 3
Replace opp with 2√10 and adj with 3.

Exercises
Find the values of the six trigonometric functions for angle θ.
1. 2. 3.

𝟓 𝟏𝟐 𝟒 𝟑 𝟖 𝟏𝟓
sin θ = ; cos θ = ; sin θ = ; cos θ = ; sin θ = ; cos θ = ;
𝟏𝟑 𝟏𝟑 𝟓 𝟓 𝟏𝟕 𝟏𝟕
𝟓 𝟏𝟑 𝟒 𝟓 𝟖 𝟏𝟕
tan θ = ; csc θ = ; tan θ = ; csc θ = ; tan θ = ; csc θ = ;
𝟏𝟐 𝟓 𝟑 𝟒 𝟏𝟓 𝟖
𝟏𝟑 𝟏𝟐 𝟓 𝟑 𝟏𝟕 𝟏𝟓
sec θ = ; cot θ = sec θ = ; cot θ = sec θ = ; cot θ =
𝟏𝟐 𝟓 𝟑 𝟒 𝟏𝟓 𝟖
In a right triangle, ∠ A and ∠ B are acute.
7 1 3
4. If tan A = 12 , what is cos A? 5. If cos A = 2 , what is tan A? 6. If sin B = 8 , what is tan B?
𝟏𝟐√𝟏𝟗𝟑 𝟑√𝟓𝟓
𝟏𝟗𝟑
or ≈ 0.864 √𝟑 or ≈ 1.732 𝟓𝟓
or ≈ 0.405
Chapter 12 5 Glencoe Algebra 2
NAME _____________________________________________ DATE ____________________________ PERIOD _____________

12-1 Study Guide and Intervention (continued)

Trigonometric Functions in Right Triangles
Use Trigonometric Functions You can use trigonometric functions to find missing side lengths and missing angle
measures of right triangles. You can find the measure of the missing angle by using the inverse of sine, cosine, or tangent.

Example: Find the measure of ∠ C. Round to the nearest tenth if necessary.

You know the measure of the side opposite ∠ C and the measure of the hypotenuse. Use the sine function.
opp
sin C = hyp Sine function

8
sin C = 10 Replace opp with 8 and hyp with 10.

8
sin−1 10 = m∠ C Inverse sine

53.1° ≈ m∠ C Use a calculator.

Exercises
Use a trigonometric function to find each value of x. Round to the nearest tenth if necessary.
1. 2. 3.

𝟏𝟎 𝟒 𝒙
tan 38° = ; 12.8 cos 63° = 𝒙; 8.8 sin 20° = 𝟏𝟒.𝟓; 5.0
𝒙

4. 5. 6.

𝟓 𝒙 𝟗
cos 45° = 𝒙; 7.1 sin 32° = 𝟖; 4.2 tan 70° = 𝒙; 3.3

Find x. Round to the nearest tenth if necessary.

7. 8. 9.

55.2 66.8 23.6

Chapter 12 6 Glencoe Algebra 2