TRIGONOMETRY QUICK STUDY GUIDE

Primary Trigo Ratios

c  a2  b2 Things to note:
a
sin   a
 These ratios are only
c
 applicable for right-angled
triangles
b b
cos  
c  a refers to the side
Tips: opposite the angle  ;
a  Use “TOA, CAH, SOH” to help b refers to the side
tan  
b you remember these ratios adjacent to the angle 

 Label your angle first, then label  Label the sides of the
the hypotenuse (side opposite triangle (e.g., x, y ) before
the right-angle), then label the applying the formula, avoid
side opposite the selected angle. writing opp  c sin  .
Label the adjacent side last.
 Unless the question forbids
To recap these ratios and how to find angles and sides using the use of the calculator, to
them, watch: find sin  when given
tan  x , find the value
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zLheqxMrc68 of  using the calculator
(i.e.   tan x ), then
1
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pZDsiOSUznk&featur
use the calculator to find
e=related
the value of sin  .
 http://www.youtube.com/user/donalduncan#p/c/42593C
0D08135D39/1/7UOQQw_EUQo

 http://www.youtube.com/user/donalduncan#p/c/42593C
0D08135D39/5/oc1eVtbJoP0

Trigo Ratio of Special Angles

Note:
Use these values 1 2 3
when question asks
sin 30  sin 45  sin 60 
2 2 2
for exact value of
trigo ratios or 3 2 1
forbids the use of
cos 30  cos 45  cos 60 
2 2 2
calculator
3
tan 30  tan 45  1 tan 60  3
3

1 Created by KCC_Jul 2010

 Things to note: Trigo Ratios for obtuse angles
 0    90
sin (180   )  sin 
 Use
180  
sin (180   )  sin  cos (180   )   cos  
to find the other solution
for cases where  can
have more than one value
(e.g., ambiguous Sine Rule Useful video:
case)
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5wc_OZKgsS0

Formula for General Triangles

A Things to note:
c
1 B
Area of triangle = absin C  Label the sides of the triangle
2
correctly before applying the
Tip:
1 formulae (e.g., a refers to the
Remember formula as: b a
= acsin B side opposite the vertex A).
½ x length of side x 2
length of adjacent
 For area of triangle, note
side x sin of included 1
angle = bcsin A that each vertex or side is
2
C used only once (e.g., if
Sine Rule: sides a and b are used, the
Useful videos
angle must be C, as it is
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bmbu3t
sin A sin B sin C the only vertex “left”).
  6vW4w
a b c
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3CvewX  When using Sine Rule to find
L6bHM&feature=related length of unknown side, use
this formula
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5YjnQc
instead:
5dTg8
Cosine Rule: a b c
 
a 2  b 2  c 2  2bc(cos A) sin A sin B sin C

 When using Cosine Rule to

find unknown angle, use this
Useful videos
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J3WIPS3Uh_A formula instead.
b2  c2  a2
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WRsAQpFoEg0 cos A 
2bc

Tips:
 Use Sine and Cosine rule to find unknown sides and angles on non-right-angled triangles.
 Use Sine Rule when an angle and the length side opposite it are known.
 Use Cosine Rule when only length of three sides are known or when only 2 adjacent sides and the included angle
are known.

2 Created by KCC_Jul 2010

Other useful videos of worked solution of questions involving trigonometry:

 http://www.youtube.com/user/donalduncan#p/c/42593C0D08135D39

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gaw_tydLVJg

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z-cQ1Zy6hL0&feature=related

 http://www.youtube.com/user/donalduncan#p/c/42593C0D08135D39/10/DzbUrTHWMS0

3 Created by KCC_Jul 2010