Chapter 1

Angles and
the
Trigonometric
Functions

A LWAY S L E A R N I N G Copyright © 2020, 2016, 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. 1

 1.4

The Trigonometric
Functions

A LWAY S L E A R N I N G Copyright © 2020, 2016, 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. 2

Definition of the Trigonometric
Functions
If (x, y) is any point other than the origin on the terminal
side of an angle α in standard position and r  x  y ,
2 2

then

y x y
sin   , cos   , tan   ,
r r x
r r x
csc   , sec   , cot   ,
y x y

provided that no denominator is zero.

A LWAY S L E A R N I N G Copyright © 2020, 2016, 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. 3

The Reciprocal Identities

1 1 1
csc  sec  cot  
sin  cos  tan 

A LWAY S L E A R N I N G Copyright © 2020, 2016, 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. 4

Example 1: Evaluating the trigonometric
functions
Find the values of the six trigonometric functions of the
angle a in standard position whose terminal side passes
through (2, –1).
Solution
Use x = 2, y = – 1, and r  22   1  5 to get
2

y 1 1  5 5
sin     
r 5 5 5 5
x 2 2 5 2 5
cos     
r 5 5 5 5

A LWAY S L E A R N I N G Copyright © 2020, 2016, 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. 5

Example 1: Evaluating the trigonometric
functions (cont)
Find the values of the six trigonometric functions of the
angle a in standard position whose terminal side passes
through (2, –1).
Solution
y 1 1 y 2
tan      cot     2
x 2 2 x 1

r 5 r 5
sec   csc     5
x 2 y 1

A LWAY S L E A R N I N G Copyright © 2020, 2016, 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. 6

Definition of the Trigonometric Functions

A LWAY S L E A R N I N G Copyright © 2020, 2016, 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. 7

Trigonometric Functions at Multiples of 45°
A triangle that has angles of 45°, 45°, and 90° is called a
45-45-90 triangle.

y 1 2
sin 45   
r 2 2

x 1 2
cos 45   
r 2 2

y 1
tan 45    1
x 1

A LWAY S L E A R N I N G Copyright © 2020, 2016, 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. 8

Example 3a: Evaluating trigonometric functions
at a multiple of 45°
Find the exact value of each function.
a. sin  135 
Solution
Sketch a 135° angle in quadrant II. Position a 45-45-90
triangle to determine that the angle passes through
(–1, –1) and r = 2.

y 1 2
sin  135    
r 2 2

A LWAY S L E A R N I N G Copyright © 2020, 2016, 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. 9

Example 3: Evaluating trigonometric functions
at a multiple of 45° (cont)
Find the exact value of each function.
 5   9 
a. sin  135
b. cos  c.  tan   
 4   4 
Solution
Sketch the angle with measure 5π/4 in quadrant III.
Position a 45-45-90 triangle to determine that the angle
passes through (–1, –1) and r = 2.

x 1 2
cos  5 / 4    
r 2 2

A LWAY S L E A R N I N G Copyright © 2020, 2016, 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. 10

Example 3: Evaluating trigonometric functions
at a multiple of 45° (cont)
Find the exact value of each function.
 5   9 
a. sin  135
b. cos  c.  tan   
 4   4 
Solution
Since –8π/4 or –2π is one clockwise revolution, –9π/4 is
coterminal with –π/4. Sketch –π/4. Position a 45-45-90
triangle to determine that the angle passes through
(–1, –1) and r = 2.

y 1
tan  9 / 4     1
x 1

A LWAY S L E A R N I N G Copyright © 2020, 2016, 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. 11

Trigonometric Functions at 30°
A triangle with angles of 30°, 60°, and 90° is a 30-60-90
triangle.

y 1
sin 30   csc30  2
r 2

x 3 2 3
cos30   sec30 
r 2 3

y 1 3
tan 30    cot 30  3
x 3 3
A LWAY S L E A R N I N G Copyright © 2020, 2016, 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. 12
Trigonometric Functions at Multiples of 30°

3
sin 60 
2

1
cos60 
2

tan 60  3

A LWAY S L E A R N I N G Copyright © 2020, 2016, 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. 13

Example 4: Evaluating trigonometric functions
at a multiple of 30°
Find the exact value of each function.
 7 
a. cos  60b.  sin  c.  tan  240 
Solution  6 
a. Draw a –60° angle and position a 30-60-90 triangle.
 
The point 1,  3 is on the terminal side of –60° and the
distance to the origin (or the hypotenuse of the triangle) is
r = 2.
So
x 1
cos  60   
r 2

A LWAY S L E A R N I N G Copyright © 2020, 2016, 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. 14

Example 4: Evaluating trigonometric functions
at a multiple of 30°
Find the exact value of each function.
 7 
a. cos  b. 
 60  sin  c.  tan  240 
 6 
Solution
b. Since π/6 = 30°, we have 7π /6 = 210°. So 7π/6 is 30°
larger than the straight angle 180°. Sketch 7π/6 in
quadrant III and position a 30-60-90 triangle. The point
 3, 1 is on the terminal side of 7π/6 and r = 2.
So
y 1 1
sin  7 / 6     
r 2 2

A LWAY S L E A R N I N G Copyright © 2020, 2016, 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. 15

Example 4: Evaluating trigonometric functions
at a multiple of 30°
Find the exact value of each function.
 7 
a. cos  b. 
60 sin  c.  tan  240 
 6 
Solution
c. Note that –240° is coterminal with 120°. Now sketch
–240° in quadrant II and position a 30-60-90 triangle.

The 1, 3 
point is on the terminal side of – 240°.
So
y 3
tan  240      3.
x 1

A LWAY S L E A R N I N G Copyright © 2020, 2016, 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. 16

Sines and Cosines for Common
Angles

A LWAY S L E A R N I N G Copyright © 2020, 2016, 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. 17

Example 5: Evaluating sin, cosine, and tangent
with a calculator
Find each function value rounded to four decimal places.
a. sin  4.27
b. cos  39.46
c.   tan   / 7 
Solution
a. With the calculator in radian mode we get
sin(4.27) ≈ – 0.9037.
b. With the calculator in degree mode we get
cos(–39.46°) ≈ 0.7721.
c. With the calculator in radian mode we get
tan(π/7) ≈ 0.4816.

A LWAY S L E A R N I N G Copyright © 2020, 2016, 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. 18