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Taming Trigonometry!: Skip The Intro & Take Me Straight To The Examples I'd Like To Do The Intro!
Taming Trigonometry!: Skip The Intro & Take Me Straight To The Examples I'd Like To Do The Intro!
Skip the intro & take me straight to the examples! Id like to do the intro!
Trigonometry is that branch of mathematics that deals with sides and angles in triangles. In Years 9 and 10, we work with
Hypotenuse AB
It is important to note C that in this diagram, Angle C (also called C) is 90. The side opposite the 90 is always the longest side in the triangle (called the hypotenuse)
c
C
If we stand in corner C and look out across the triangular yard, the fence we can see furthest away is called c.
A
In the same way, if we stood in corner B and looked out across the triangular yard then the fence furthest away would be called b.
b
C
And likewise if we stood at corner A, then the side furthest away would be called a.
m
P How did you go??
r
BACK
The hypotenuse is the longest side, which is always opposite the 90.
m
P
(continued)
C The other two sides are called adjacent and opposite, but these names are interchangeable, depending on which angle we are working with.
This is often represented by the Greek letter (called theta) rather than C drawing a little person!
OPPOSITE
Suppose we decide our reference angle (i.e. the angle where we are standing inside the yard) is B
ADJACENT
The side furthest away from is called the OPPOSITE, and... The side next to (other than the Hypotenuse) is called the ADJACENT.
Rick Bowman The Algebra Toolbox 2005
This would make the names of the other two sides change.
ADJACENT
B OPPOSITE
The opposite side would now be here, because this side is the furthest away from reference angle .
The hypotenuse stays where it is (its still the longest side!) This means that the remaining side must be the adjacent.
NOTE!! The reference angle is never the 90, but always one of the other 2 remaining (acute) angles
Rick Bowman The Algebra Toolbox 2005
Now try
Worksheet #1
3. Similar Triangles
A
5cm 4cm
In this triangle ABC, 3cm the sides are 3cm, 4cm and 5cm. The angle at B C is .
6cm
10cm
8cm
Now, in the smaller triangle using as our reference angle, find which sides are opposite and adjacent and calculate the ratio Opposite
Adjacent
A
Opp 3cm 5cm 4cm Adj
O 3 A 4
0.75
same!
C A
Opp 6cm
0.75
ratio Opposite Hypotenuse for
10cm
8cm Adj
Summary so far
(1) When all 3 of a triangles sides are multiplied (or divided) by the same number, the shape of the triangle doesnt change (only the size). All angles stay the same size. Two triangles related this way (where one is an enlargement or blow-up of the other) are called SIMILAR. (2) Whenever we have two similar triangles, and calculate the fractions (or ratios) of matching pairs of sides like we did on the previous slide, we always get the same result. So the size of the triangle doesnt matter, only the shape!
So, suppose we have a triangle like the one on the next slide
Lets say this triangles sides are doubled, halved and tripled to get three new triangles drawn below. (not to scale, of course!)
8cm
17cm 15cm
16cm
x2
34cm
4cm
30cm 8.5cm
7.5cm
24cm
x3
51cm
45cm
Rick Bowman The Algebra Toolbox 2005
If we now take all 4 triangles and for each one, pick the same 2 sides and work out the ratio of their lengths, well get the same result! Try it for Adjacent
Hypotenuse
Opp
Hyp
Adj
And finally
Opposite Adjacent
Opposite Adjacent
SOHCAHTOA
Rick Bowman The Algebra Toolbox 2005
Now try
Worksheet #2
4. Finding a side
Now well actually use trigonometry to find unknown sides, but first we may need a brief refresher course on 2 important Algebra skills!
Do the refresher
SOHCAHTOA
Rick Bowman The Algebra Toolbox 2005
x 3 5
x x5 5
= 3 x5
x = 15answer
5 3 x
Method..interchange the x and the 3. Keep the top number (5) where it is
Previous slide
5 x 3
x = 1.67answer
Rick Bowman The Algebra Toolbox 2005
Next section
32
STEP 1
Look at your reference angle (32). Carefully label the hyp, then opp and adj. Remind me how Choose which two sides you are concerned with. They are labelled one has 23m, the other x m.
STEP 2
Opposite Adjacent
If you said sin youd be right, because were dealing with Opp and Hyp
Rick Bowman The Algebra Toolbox 2005
STEP 3
xm
23m
32
sin 32 =
Opp Hyp
x 0.5299 23
Now get sin 32 from calculator, and replace Opp with x and Hyp with 23
x = 0.5299 23
Next example
This is often represented by the Greek letter (called theta) rather than C drawing a little person!
OPPOSITE
Suppose we decide our reference angle (i.e. the angle where we are standing inside the yard) is B
ADJACENT
The side furthest away from is called the OPPOSITE, and... The side next to (other than the Hypotenuse) is called the ADJACENT.
Rick Bowman The Algebra Toolbox 2005
This would make the names of the other two sides change.
ADJACENT
B OPPOSITE
The opposite side would now be here, because this side is the furthest away from reference angle .
The hypotenuse stays where it is (its still the longest side!) This means that the remaining side must be the adjacent.
NOTE!! The reference angle is never the 90, but always one of the other 2 remaining (acute) angles
Rick Bowman The Algebra Toolbox 2005
Back to Example 1
y cm
Opp
Hyp
28 Adj
5.2 cm
Look at your reference angle (28). Label the hyp, then opp and adj. Opp is not labelled, so we dont use it. Hyp and Adj are the ones we use. This is COS
SOHCAHTOA
Rick Bowman The Algebra Toolbox 2005
STEP 3
y cm
cos 28 Adj Hyp
28
5.2 cm
5.2 0.8829 y
5.2 0.8829
y 5.89
to 2 dec places
Find p 41 20m
pm
p = 17.39 SOHCAHTOA
Rick Bowman The Algebra Toolbox 2005
Now try
Worksheet #3
8cm
Adj
Hyp
10cm
Which two are labelled? Opp (8cm) and Adj (10cm), which means well use Tan
tan =
Once you have decimal degrees on your screen, hit 2nd ANGLE DMS to get degrees and minutes (Texas calculators)
Key this in as
= 3840
Rick Bowman The Algebra Toolbox 2005
Hyp 15m
Which two are labelled? Hyp(15cm) and Adj (11cm), which means well use Cos
cos =
Once you have decimal degrees on your screen, hit 2nd ANGLE DMS to get degrees and minutes (Texas calculators)
= 4250
Rick Bowman The Algebra Toolbox 2005
Now try
Worksheet #4