Week 4: trigonometric Functions: The Right

triangle
 Right angle has a value of 90 degrees (900)
 Right triangle is a triangle in which one angle is a right angle.
The relation between the sides and angles of a right triangle
is the basis for trigonometry.
 The side opposite the right angle is called the hypotenuse
(side c in the figure).
 The sides adjacent to the right angle are called legs (sides a
and b).
 Side a may be identified as the side adjacent to angle B
opposed to (or opposite) angle A.
 Side b is the side adjacent to angle A and opposed to angle B.
Right triangle: The Pythagorean Theorem can be used to find the value of a missing side length in a right
triangle.
Pythagorean Theorem
The sum of the areas of the two squares on the legs
(a and b) is equal to the area of the square on the
hypotenuse (c). The formula is a2+b2=c2 .
3 trigonometric functions most often used to solve for a
missing side of a right triangle

sin= opposite/hypotenuse
cos= adjacent/ hypotenuse
Tan∅ = opposite / adjacent
SOH-CAH-TOA: an easy way to remember
trig ratios
SOH = Sine is Opposite over Hypotenuse then
Sin A = opposite / hypotenuse
CAH = Cosine is Adjacent over Hypotenuse
Cosine A = adjacent / hypotenuse
TOA = Tangent is Opposite over Adjacent
Tangent A = opposite / adjacent
Find the exact values of the six trigonometric
functions of the angle θ.
 Problem:
A right triangle has a side length of 10 feet, and a
hypotenuse length of 20 feet. Find the other side
length. (round to the nearest tenth of a foot)
A right triangle has side lengths 3cm and 4cm. Find
the length of the hypotenuse.
A right triangle has a hypotenuse of length 10 and a leg
of length 6. Find the exact values of the six
trigonometric functions of the angle θ if θ is adjacent
to the leg of length 6.
Evaluating a Trigonometric Function of a
Right Triangle
Given a right triangle with acute angle of 340
and a hypotenuse length of 25feet, find the
length of the side opposite the acute angle
(round to the nearest tenth):
Given a right triangle with an acute angle of
830 and a hypotenuse length of 300 feet, find
the hypotenuse length (round to the nearest
tenth).
Given a right triangle with an acute angle of 62∘
and an adjacent side of 45 feet, solve for the opposite side
length. (round to the nearest tenth)
A ladder with a length of 30 feet is leaning against a building. The angle the
ladder makes with the ground is 32∘. How high up the building does the
ladder reach? (round to the nearest tenth of a foot)
Finding Angles From Ratios: Inverse
Trigonometric Functions
The inverse trigonometric functions can be used to
find the acute angle measurement of a right triangle.
A missing acute angle value of a right triangle can be
found when given two side lengths.
To find a missing angle value, use the trigonometric
functions sine, cosine, or tangent, and the inverse key on a
calculator to apply the inverse function
(arcsin⁡, arccos⁡, arctan⁡), sin-1, cos-1, tan-1.
 For a right triangle with hypotenuse length 25 ft and
acute angle A0 with opposite side length 12 ft, find the
acute angle to the nearest degree:
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