Fundamental Trigonometry Concepts Needed for Calculus

a y opp
sin A =
c r hyp

b x adj
cos A =
c r hyp

a y opp b x adj c r hyp c r hyp

tan A = cot A = sec A = csc A =
b x adj a y opp b x adj a y opp

1 1 1
1. Reciprocal Functions: csc A = ; cot A = ; sec A =
sin A tan A cos A

2. Cofuntions: sin & cos, tan & cot, sec & csc. Any function of an angle less than 90 is equal to the
cofunction of its complement (i.e. 90 - A).

3. Signs on the trig functions I the four quadrants are:

All trig functions are positive in Q I. cos and sec are negative in Q II and Q III
sin & csc are negative in Q III & Q IV tan and cot are negative in Q II and Q IV

4. To take the function of an angle A greater than 90 and reduce it to the same function of an angle less
than 90 first determine the sign on that function in that particular quadrant and then:
i) if A is in Q II, use 180 - A; ii) if A is in Q III, use A - 180; iii) if A is in Q IV use 360 - A.

5. FUNDAMENTAL RELATIONSHIPS:
sin (-) = - sin ; cos (-) = cos ; sin2 + cos2 = 1 for all .
sin( ) sin cos cos sin cos( ) cos cos sin sin

6. Other relationships that follow from (5) above are: tan2 + 1 = sec2 & 1 + cot2 = csc2
1 cos 2 1 cos 2
cos 2 = cos2 - sin2; sin 2 = 2 sin cos ; cos 2 ; sin 2
2 2
R D
7.Relationship between degrees and radians (a pure number, no units): ; R-radians; D-degrees
180o
8. Basic trig values: or
0 0 30 /6 45 /4 60 /3 90 /2
sin 0 = 0 /2 = 0.000 = cos 90
sin 0 1/2 2 /2 3 /2 1
sin /6 = 1 /2 = 0.500 = cos 60
cos 1 3 /2 2 /2 1/2 0
sin /4 = 2 /2 = 0.707 = cos 45
tan 0 3 /3 1 3 --
sin /3 = 3 /2 = 0.866 = cos 30
cot -- 3 1 3 /3 0
sin /2 = 4 /2 = 1.000 = cos 0
sec 1 2 3 /3 2 2 --
csc -- 2 2 2 3 /3 1