3.

2 The Six Trigonometric Functions

(MAT 049-PreCalculus)

NESTOR G. ACALA, PhD

Mathematics Department
Mindanao State University Main Campus
Marawi City
nestor.acala@msumain.edu.ph
Trigonometric Functions of any angle θ

Suppose that the point P (x , y ) is any point other than the vertex of the angle θ
in standard position, and r is the radius or distance of P from the origin (see
Figure in the next slide). Then the trigonometric functions of θ are defined as
follows:
x y
cos θ = , tan θ = , x 6= 0,
y r x
sin θ = ,
r
r x
sec θ = , x 6= 0, cot θ = , y 6= 0,
r x y
csc θ = , y 6= 0,
y
Figure:
As an immediate consequence of these definitions, we have the so-called
reciprocal relations:
1 1 1
cot θ = csc θ = sec θ =
tan θ sin θ cos θ
Because of these reciprocal relationships, one function in each pair of reciprocal
trigonometric functions has been used more frequently than the other. The more
frequently used trigonometric functions are sine, cosine, and tangent.
 p
Note that r = x 2 + y 2 is always positive. Hence, the signs of the function
values depend only on the sign of the coordinates of the point P on the terminal
side of the angle.
For angles whose terminal sides lie on the quadrants, we can easily use the
mnemonics “A Smart Trig Class” (ASTC) to determine which three
trigonometric function (sine, cosine or tangent) values are positive. The first
letters of the four words correspond to QI, QII, QIII, and QIV respectively. The
first letter, A means ALL of the three values are positive on QI; letter S means
only Sine values are positive on QII; letter T means only the Tangent values are
positive on QIII; and letter C means only the Cosine values are positive on QIV.
Figure: Quadrant Signs of the Trigonometric Functions
 Example: In what quadrant will θ terminate, if sin θ and cos θ are both
negative?.

y x
Solution: Since sin θ = and cos θ = , both x and y are negative. (Recall
r r
that r is always positive.) Thus, θ is a third-quadrant angle.
 Example: Determine the six trigonometric function values of the angle θ
whose terminal side passes through the point (3, −4).

Solution:We determine first the radius r , the distance of the point (3, −4) from
the origin (see Figure 3):
p √
r = 32 + (−4)2 = 25 = 5.
Substituting x = 3, y = −4 and r = 5 we have
3 −4 4
cos θ = , tan θ = =− ,
−4 4 5 3 3
sin θ = =− , 5 3 3
5 5 sec θ = , cot θ = =− .
5 5 3 −4 4
csc θ = =− ,
−4 4
Figure:
 8
Example: Find the values of cos θ and tan θ , given sin θ = and θ is in
17
quadrant I.

y 8
Solution: Let P be a point on the terminal line of θ. Since sin θ = = , we
r 17
take p
y = 8 and r =
√ 17. Since θ is in quadrant I, x is positive; thus
x = r − y = 172 − 82 = 15.
2 2
To draw the figure, locate the point P (15, 8), join it to the origin, and indicate
the angle θ (see figure below).
Hence,
x 15 y 8
cos θ = = and tan θ = = .
r 17 x 15
8 16
The choice of y = 8 and r = 17 is one of convenience. Note that = and
17 34
30 15
we might have taken y = 16 and r = 34. Then x = 30, cos θ = = and
34 17
16 8
tan θ = = .
30 15
 Example: Find the values of the six trigonometric functions of the angle
whose terminal side is on QIII and lies on the line y = 2x.

Solution:First, we pick a point on the line y = 2x which is located in QIII.

Suppose we choose (−1, −2). Thus, (−1, −2) is on the terminal side of θ.
Computing for r : p √
r = (−1)2 + (−2)2 = 5.
 √
Substituting x = −1, y = −2 and r = 5, we have
1 −2
cos θ = − √ , tan θ = = 2,
2 5 −1
sin θ = − √ ,
5 √
sec θ = − 5, −1 1
√ cot θ = =− .
5 −2 2
csc θ = − ,
2
Note that if we choose another point on the line in QIII, say (−2, −4) which is
also on the terminal side of θ, then r becomes
p √ √
r = (−2)2 + (−4)2 = 20 = 2 5.
√
Substituting x = −2,y = −4 and r = 2 5, we obtain the same results. That is,
trigonometric function values of θ depend only on the angle, not on the choice of
point on the terminal side that is used to compute them.
 5
Example: Given that tan θ = − and the terminal side of θ is in QII. Find
3
the other trigonometric function values.

Solution: Note that tan = yx = − 35 . Since the terminal side of θ lies on

QII(−, +), we can choose the point (−3, 5) = (x , y ) as the point on its terminal
side. Computing for r , we obtain
p √
r = (−3)3 + 52 = 34.
Hence, we have the appropriate values of the other trigonometric functions:
3 5
cos θ = − √ , tan θ = − ,
5 34 3
sin θ = √ ,
34 √ 3
34 cot θ = − .
√ sec θ = − , 5
34 3
csc θ = ,
5
Let P (x , y ) be any point except the origin on the terminal side of a quadrantal
angle θ. Let r be the distance from P to the origin. Then we may consider the
following cases:
i. When θ = 0◦ , x = r and y = 0.
ii. When θ = 90◦ , x = 0 and y = r .
iii. When θ = 180◦ , x = −r and y = 0.
iv. When θ = 270◦ , x = 0 and y = −r .
Thus, the values of the six trigonometic functions for quadrantal angles are as
follows:
y 0 y r
• sin 0◦ = = =0 • sin 90◦ = = =1
r r r r
x r x 0
• cos 0◦ = = = 1 • cos 90◦ = = = 0
r r r r
y 0 y r
• tan 0◦ = = = 0 • tan 90◦ = = is undefined
x r x 0
◦ r r ◦ r r
• csc 0 = = is undefined • csc 90 = = = 1
y 0 y 1
r r r r
• sec 0◦ = = = 1 • sec 90◦ = = is undefined
x r x 0
x r x 0
• cot 0◦ = = is undefined • cot 90◦ = = = 0
y 0 y r
 y 0 y −r
• sin 180◦ = = =0 • sin 270◦ = = = −1
r r r r
◦ x −r x 0
• cos 180 = = = −1 • cos 270◦ = = = 0
r r r r
y 0 y −r
• tan 180◦ = = =0 • tan 270◦ = = is undefined
x −r x 0
r −r r r
• csc 180◦ = = is undefined • csc 270◦ = = = −1
y 0 y −r
r r r r
• sec 180◦ = = = −1 • sec 270◦ = = is undefined
x −r x 0
x −r x 0
• cot 180◦ = = is undefined • cot 270◦ = = =0
y 0 y −r
The following are values of the six trigonometric functions for quadrantal angles
and all angles coterminal to them.

Figure: Values of trigonometric functions for quadrantal angles

Let us consider the other special angles.
√
a. When θ = 30◦ , we may choose the point P ( 3, 1) on its terminal side. We
have q√
p
r = x + y = ( 3)2 + 12 = 2. Thus,
2 2

y 1 r 2
• sin 30◦ = = • csc 30◦ = = =2
r 2√ y 1 √
x 3 r 2 2 3
• cos 30◦ = = • sec 30◦ = = √ =
r 2 √ x 3
y 1 3 √3
◦
• tan 30 = = √ = x 3 √
x 3 2 • cot 30◦ = = = 3
y 1
b. When θ = 45◦ , the terminal side is on the line y = x which bisects the first
quadrant.
p We may√choose the point √ P (1, 1). Thus,
2 2 2 2
r = x + y = 1 + 1 = 2. Hence,
√ √
◦ y 1 2 ◦ r 2 √
• sin 45 = = √ = • csc 45 = = = 2
r 2 2
√ y √1
◦ x 1 2 r 2 √
• cos 45 = = √ = • sec 45◦ = = = 2
r 2 2 x 1
y 1 ◦ x 1
• tan 45◦ = = = 1 • cot 45 = = = 1
x 1 y 1
 √
c. When θ = 60◦ , we may choose the point P (1, 3) on its terminal side. We
have q√
p
r = x + y = ( 3)2 + 12 = 2. Thus,
2 2
√ √
◦ y 3 ◦r 2 2 3
• sin 60 = = • csc 60 = = √ =
r 2 y 3 3
◦ x 1 r 2
• cos 60 = = • sec 60◦ = = = 2
r 2√ x 1 √
◦ y 3 √ x 1 3
• tan 60 = = = 3 ◦
• cot 60 = = √ =
x 1 y 3 3
As a summary, we have the following table of trigonometric values for 30◦ , 45◦
and 60◦ .

Figure: Values of trigonometric functions for the non-quadrantal special

angles
A reference angle R for an angle θ in standard position is the positive acute
angle between the x-axis and the terminal side of angle θ. The values of the six
trigonometric functions of the reference angle R for θ, agree with the function
values for θ except possibly in sign. When the signs of the functions of R are
determined by the quadrant of angle , as in next figure, then any function of θ
can be expressed as a function of the acute angle R.
Figure: Reference angle of angles from 0◦ to 360◦
If θ is a quadrantal angle, then the function values are the same, and a reference
angle is not needed. Since any angle A can be written as θ ± 360◦ n, where n is
an integer and 0 ≤ θ < 360◦ , reference angles will be found for angles from 0◦ to
360◦ .
 Example: Sketch roughly the angle θ = 240◦ and determine the values of
the six trigonometric functions of the angle.

Solution: The terminal side of the angle θ = 240◦ lies in Quadrant III and its
reference angle is R = 60◦ .

Figure: The angle θ = 240◦ and its reference angle

Hence, the values of the six trigonometric functions for θ = 240◦ are as follows:
√ √
3 2 3
• sin 240◦ = − sin 60◦ = − • csc 240◦ = − csc 60◦ = −
2 3
1 • sec 240◦
= sec 60◦
= − 2
• cos 240◦ = − cos 60◦ = − √
√ 2 3
• tan 240◦ = tan 60◦ = 3 • cot 240◦ = − cot 60◦ =
3
 1
Example: Find all angles θ such that sin θ = .
2

Solution : Since sin θ > 0, the terminal side of θ lies either in Quadrant I or in
Quadrant II. In Quadrant I , the angle that satisfies the equation is θ = 30◦ . On
Quadrant II, using the rreference angle 30◦ , the angle that satisfies the equation
is θ = 150◦ . Determining all coterminal angles of 30◦ and 150◦ , we obtain the
folowing solutions:
θ = 30◦ + 360◦ k , and
θ = 150◦ + 360◦ k , where k is any integer.
 1
Figure: Some solutions of sin θ = .
2
Exercise: Show all the necessary solutions.
A. Sketch roughly the given angle and determine the values of the six
trigonometric functions for the given angle.
1. θ = 225◦
2. θ = 390◦
B. Find all angles θ (in degrees) which solve each equation. Sketch these
angles.
√
− 3
3. cos θ =
2
1
4. tan θ = √
3