Trigonometry

What is Trigonometry

● Trigonometry from Greek trigõnon, "triangle" and metron, "measure") is a

branch of mathematics that studies relationships involving lengths and
angles of triangles.
● The field emerged during the 3rd century BC from applications of geometry
to astronomical studies.
● Trigonometry is most simply associated with planar right angle triangles
(each of which is a two-dimensional triangle with one angle equal to 90
degrees).
● The applicability to non-right-angle triangles exists, but, since any
● non-right-angle triangle (on a flat plane) can be bisected to create two
right-angle triangles, most problems can be reduced to calculations on
right-angle triangles. Thus the majority of applications relate to right-angle
triangles

Right triangle trigonometry and Trigonometric ratios

In a right angle triangle ABC where B=90°

We can define following term for angle A

We can define the trigonometric ratios for angle A as

Trigonometric Ratio Definition Ratio of

sides

Sin A Opposite side / Hypotenuse BC /AC

Cos A Adjacent side / Hypotenuse AB /AC

Tan A Opposite side/Adjacent side BC / AB

Cosec A Hypotenuse / opposite side AC / BC

Sec A Hypotenuse / Adjacent side AC /AB

Cot A Adjacent side / Opposite side AB / BC

The reciprocal of sin A is cosec A ; and vice-versa.

The reciprocal of cos A is sec A
And the reciprocal of tan A is cot A
 These are valid for acute angles.
We can define TanA=SinA / CosA
CotA = CosA / SinA
Important Note
Since the hypotenuse is the longest side in a right triangle, the value of
sin A or cos A is always less than 1 (or, in particular, equal to 1).
Similarly we can have define these for angle C

We can define the trigonometric ratios for angle C as

SinC=Opposite Side/Hypotenuse=AB/AC
Cosec C=Hypotenuse/Opposite Side=AC/AB
CosC=Adjacent side /Hypotenuse=BC/AC
SecC=Hypotenuse/Adjacent side=AC/BC
TanC=Opposite side/Adjacent side=AB /BC
CotC=Adjacent side /Opposite side=BC /AB
Let us see for different common Angles and its Ratios.

For Example in a Right Angled Triangle other two angles are 450 each . Then both
sides other than hypotenuse are equal . Then Let Us calculate Sin 450.

In this case Sin A = Sin 45 =BC /AC

Let AB = X then BC is also equal to X

As per Pythagoras Theorem AC2 = AB2 + BC 2

Then AC2 =X2 + X2 = 2 X2>

AC = 2 X

Sin 45 = BC / AC = X / 2 X = 1 / 2

Similarly Cos 45 = AB / AC = X / 2 X = 1 / 2

Tan 45 = Sin 45 /Cos 45 =( 1 / 2 ) / ( 1 / 2 ) = 1

Also Cosec 45 = 1/ Sin 45 = 1/ (1 / 2 ) = 2

Sec 45 = 1/ Cos 45 = 1/ (1 / 2 ) = 2

COt 45 = 1/ Tan 45 =1 /1 = 1

Now Let us work out for Sin 30 , Cos 30 , Sin 60 , Cos 60

Thereby Cosec 30 , Sec 30 , Tan 30 , Cot 30

 Cosec 60 , Sec 60 , Tan 60 , Cot 60 .

To prove This let us take an Equilateral Triangle where all sides are equal and Each
internal Angle is 60 0 each.

As AD is perpendicular drawn from A to BC Then Angle ADC and Angle ADB are
90 0.

Then Triangle ADC is Right Angled Triangle . As ABC is an equilateral triangle All
sides AB , BC ,AC are equal .

Let us take Each side is equal to X .

The Angular bisector of A shall bisect the opposite side BC at D.

if BC = X then BD = DC = X/2.

In Right angled Triangle ADC AD2 = AC 2 – DC 2

AD2 =( X)2 – (X/2)2 = X2 –( X2/4 ) = (4 X2 – X2) /4 = 3 X2 /4

AD =( 3 /2 ) X
Then Sin 60 which is measured at Vertex C is AD / AC

AD/ AC = ( 3 /2 ) X / X = 3 /2

Hence Sin 60 = 3 /2

Similarly we can work out for sin 30 Measured at half angle at A in the right angled
triangle ADC is opposite side divided by hypotenuse to the angle DAC is DC /AC
=(X/2)/X = 1 /2

Similarly we can work out all other values of trigonometric ratios for different
angles as per the definition.

We can easily observe that( Sin θ)/(Cos θ) = Tan θ and Cos θ / Sin θ = Tan θ

And reciprocals of sin θ is Cosec θ , Cos θ is Sec θ Tan θ is Cot θ

Trigonometric Ratios of Common angles

We can find the values of trigonometric ratio’s various angle

Important things

● From the table we can see that cosec 0 is undefined. It is undefined as cosec
A= hyp/Perp,when angle becomes zero, Perpendicular becomes zero and
x/0 is undefined
● Similarly for Cot 0
● From the table we can see that ,tan 90 is undefined . It is undefined as tan
A=perp/base ,when angle becomes 90,base becomes zero and x/0 is
undefined
● Similarly , it can be explained for sec 90
Question 1
State whether the following are true or false. Justify your answer.
(i) The value of tanA is always less than 1.
(ii) secA=125 for some value of angle A.
(iii) cos A is the abbreviation used for the cosecant of angle A.
(iv) tan A is the product of tan and A.
(v) sinA=53 for some angle
Solution
(i) False . The value of tan A increase from 0 to infinity
(ii) True . The value of sec A increase from 1 to infinity
(iii) False .Cos A is the abbreviation used for the cosine of angle A
(iv) False .cot A is one symbol. We cannot separate it
(v) False. The value of sin AA always lies between 0 and 1 and 5/3 > 1
Question 2
The value of (sin30+cos30)−(sin60+cos60) is
(A) - 1
(B) 0
(C) 1
(D) 2
Solution
Answer (B)
Trigonometric ratio’s of complimentary angles

We know that for Angle A, the complementary angle is 90 – A

In a right angle triangle ABC
A+B+C=180
Now B=90
So A+C=90
Or C=90−A

We have seen in Previous section the value for trigonometric ratios for angle C

sinC=Perpendicular/Hypotenuse=AB/AC

Cosec C=Hypotenuse/Perpendicular=AC/AB
Cos C=Base/Hypotenuse=BC/AC
Sec C=Hypotenuse/Base=AC/BC
Tan C=Perpendicular/Base=AB/BC
Cot C=Base/Perpendicular=BC/AB
This can be rewritten as
Sin(90∘−A)=AB/AC⁡
Cosec(90∘−A)=AC/AB
Cos(90∘−A)=BC/AC
Sec(90∘−A)=AC/BC
Tan(90∘−A)=AB/BC
Cot(90∘−A)=BC/AB
Also we know that
sinA=BC/AC
CosecA=AC/BC
CosA=AB/AC
SecA=AC/AB
TanA=BC/AB
CotA=AB/BC
From both of these, we can easily make it out
Sin(90∘−A)=cosA
Cos(90∘−A)=sinA
Tan(90∘−A)=cotA
Sec(90∘−A)=cscA
Cosec(90∘−A)=secA
Cot(90∘−A)=tanA

Trigonometric identities
We have studied Pythagoras theorem in earlier classes which states that for a
right-angled triangle the square on the hypotenuse is equal to the sum of the
squares on the other two side
If a is the hypotenuse and b and c are other two sides, then
a2=b2+c2
This same theorem can be used to prove the below trigonometric identities
sin2A+cos2A=1
1+tan2A=sec2A
1+cot2A=cosec2A
Proof :

In the Above Triangle ABC for Angle A opposite side is BC . Adjacent side is BA
and Hypotenuse is AC .
As per def. Sin A =Opposite side / Hypotenuse = BC / AC
Sin2 A = ( BC 2 / AC2)
Cos2A =( BA2 / AC2)
Sin2A + Cos2A =( BC2/AC2 ) +(BA2/AC2) = ( BC2 +BA2 ) /AC2
Since BC2+ BA2 = AC2
Sin2A + Cos2A = AC2 / AC2 =1
Hence Proved .
SImilarly We can Prove other Two Trigonometric Identities also.
Identity 2 :
1+Tan2 A = Sec2A
Tan A = Opposite Side / Adjacent Side = BC2 / BA2
1 + Tan2A = 1+ BC2/ BA2 = (BA2+BC2) / BA2 = AC2 / BA2 = (Hypotenuse / Adjacent side )2
= Sec 2A
Identity 3 :
1 + Cot2A = 1+ BA2/ BC2 = (BC2+BA2) / BC2 = AC2 / BC2 = (Hypotenuse / opposite side )2
= Cosec 2A

How to solve Trigonometric Identities Problems

1. Learn well the formulas for Trigonometric identities, trigonometric ratios,

reciprocals The better you know the basic identities, the easier it will be to
recognize what is going on in the problems.
2. Generally RHS( Right hand side) would be more complex. So start from
there and simplify it to the same form as LHS(Left hand side)
3. It becomes many times easy, if Convert all sec, csc, cot, and tan to sin and
cos. Most of this can be done using the quotient and reciprocal identities.
4. If you see power 2 or more, it will involve using the below identities mostly
sin2A+cos2A=1
1+tan2A=sec2A
1+cot2A=cosec2A
5. Once you get the hang of it, you will begin to see patterns and it will be easy
to solve these Trigonometric identities Problems
6. Practice and Practice. You will soon start figuring out the equation and there
symmetry to resolve them fast