Special Angles and their Trig Functions

By:

Melvy D. Espanol
   
We will look at two special triangles: the 45 – 45 – 90 triangle
  
and the 30 – 60 – 90 triangle. These triangles will allow us 
to
easily find the trig functions of the special angles, 45 , 30 , and 60
. 

The lengths of the legs of the 45


  
45 – 45 – 90 triangle are equal 2
to each other because their 1

corresponding angles are 45


equal. 1

If we let each leg have a length

of 1, then we find the hypotenuse
to be 2 using the Pythagorean
theorem.
You should memorize this
triangle or at least be able
to construct it. These
angles will be used
frequently.
Using the definition of the trigonometric functions as the
ratios of the sides of a right triangle, we can now list all six
trig functions for a 45  angle.

1 2 45

sin 45 

 csc 45  2

2
2 2 1

2 45
cos 45 

sec 45   2
2 1

tan 45   1 cot 45   1
For the 30– 60– 90triangle, we will construct an equilateral
triangle (a triangle with 3 equal angles of 60  each, which
guarantees 3 equal sides).

If we let each side be a length

of 2, then cutting the triangle
30 
in half will give us a right
triangle with a base of 1 and a
2
hypotenuse of 2. This smaller
3
triangle now has angles of 30,
 
60, and 90 .
60 

1
We find the length of the other
You should memorize this leg to be 3 , using the
triangle or at least be able to Pythagorean theorem.
construct it. These angles,
also, will be used frequently.
Again, using the definition of the trigonometric functions as the
ratios of the sides of a right triangle, we can now list all the trig
 
functions for a 30 angle and a 60 angle.
1
sin 30   csc 30   2
2
3 2 2 3
cos 30   sec 30   
2 3 3
30 
1 3
tan 30    cot 30   3
2 3 3

60 
3 2 2 3
1 sin 60   csc 60   
2 3 3
1
cos 60   sec 60   2
2
1 3
tan 60   3 cot 60   
3 3
 30 

45
2 2
1
3


45
60 
1
1

Either memorizing or learning how to construct these

triangles is much easier than memorizing tables for the
  
45 , 30 , and 60 angles. These angles are used frequently
and often you need exact function values rather than
rounded values. You cannot get exact values on your
calculator.
 
45 30 
2
1
2
 3
45
1
60 

Knowing these triangles, understanding the use of reference

angles, and remembering how to get the proper sign of a
function enables us to find exact values of these special
angles.
Sine All
II A good way to
I
remember this chart is
III IV that ASTC stands for
All Students Take
Tangent Cosine Calculus.
 Example 1: Find the six trig functions of 330.

First draw the 330 degree angle.

Second, find the reference angle, 360 - 330 = 30
To compute the trig functions

of the 30 angle, draw the y

“special” triangle.

30 

S A
2
3

30 x

60  330
1
T C
Determine the correct sign for the trig functions
of 330 . Only the cosine and the secant are “+”.
Example 1 Continued: The six trig functions of 330 are:

1
sin 330   csc 330   2
2
3 2 2 3
cos 330  sec 330  
2 3 3
1 3 y
tan 330    cot 330   3
3 3

30 

S A
2
3

30 x

60  330
1
T C
 4
Example 2: Find the six trig functions of 3. (Slide 1)
4
First determine the location of
3
.
With a denominator of 3, the distance from 0 to  radians is cut into
thirds. Count around the Cartesian coordinate system beginning at 0
4
until we get to .
3
y 
2
We can see that the reference 3
angle is  , which is the same as
3

3
60. Therefore, we will
compute
the trig functions of 3 using the
60 angle of the special triangle.
3
3
3
30 
3
 x
2 3
3

4
60 
3
1
 4
Example 2: Find the six trig functions of 3. (Slide 2)
Before we write the functions, we need to determine the signs for each
function. Remember “All Students Take Calculus”. Since the angle,43 , is
located in the 3rd quadrant, only the tangent and cotangent are positive. All
the other functions are negative..
4 3 4 2 2 3
sin  csc  
3 2 3 3 3
y 
2
4 1 4 3 3
cos  sec  2
3 2 3
4 4 1 3
tan
3
 3 cot
3
 
3 3 S A

30  
 x
2 3
3
T C
4
60 
3
1
 Example 3: Find the exact value of cos   5  .
 4

We will first draw the angle to determine the quadrant.

 5   5 
We see that the angle    
 4 

 4 A
is located in the 2 quadrant
nd S
and the cos is negative in the 
2nd quadrant.  4 
 
4
0 radians
 4 


Note that the reference angle is 4
.
T C  
 
 3   4
  
We know that is the
4
 4 
 2 
 
same as 45, so the 
 4 
 45
reference angle is 45 . 1
2
5 1 2
Using the special triangle cos   4  =  2

2
we can see that the cos of 45


45 or 4 is 12 . 1
 Problem 3: Find the sin   5  .
 6 

We will first draw the

angle by counting in a S A
negative direction in

units of . 0 radians
6 
6
 
5 
We can see that 6 is the  6
reference angle and we know
6 T C
  4 
2
that 6 is the same as 30 . So 
6 3 6
 
we will draw our 30 triangle 6
 1
and see that the sin 30 is 2 .
All that’s left is to find the correct sign.
30 
And we can see that the correct sign is “-”, since
2
3 the sin is always “-” in the 3rd quadrant.
 5  
1
60 
Answer: sin  6  = 2
1
  13 
Problem 7: Find the exact value of cos 
 4 
.

We will first draw the angle to determine the quadrant.

2
4 10
 13  4 9
We see that the angle 
 4


3 4 

is located in the 3rd quadrant

4
11 S A 4

and the cos is negative in the 4

8

3rd quadrant. 4
4
0 radians
4  12  
 
 4  4

Note that the reference angle is 4
. 7
5
13 T C 4
4
 4
We know that 4 is the 6
4
same as 45, so the 
 45
reference angle is 45 . 1
2
1 2
Using the special triangle cos 13  =  2

2
 4 
we can see that the cos of 45


45 or 4 is 12 . 1