R I A N G L

In a right triangle, the shorter sides are called legs and the longest side
(which is the one opposite the right angle) is called the hypotenuse

adjacent

leg

se
nu
te
po
te
osi
hy
opp

Well label them a, b, and c and the angles

and . Trigonometric functions are defined by
taking the ratios of sides of a right triangle.

First lets look at the three basic functions.

SINE

leg a

COSINE

TANGENT

They are abbreviated using their first 3 letters

opposite
a
opposite a
sin

tan

hypotenuse c
adjacent b
adjacent
b
cos

hypotenuse c

We could ask for the trig functions of the angle by using the definitions.
You MUST get them memorized. Here is a
mnemonic to help you.

The sacred Jedi word:

opp
os i
te

SOHCAHTOA

adjacent

opposite
b
sin

hypotenuse c
adjacent
a
cos

hypotenuse c

opposite b
tan

adjacent a

It is important to note WHICH angle you are talking

about when you find the value of the trig function.

te
osi
opp

4b

hy
po
ten
us
e

opp
o

c
5

site

Let's try finding some trig functions

with some numbers. Remember that
sides of a right triangle follow the
Pythagorean Theorem so

a b c
2

adjacent
a3

sin =

o 3

h 5

Let's choose:

tan =

o 4

a 3

32 4 2 5 2
Use a mnemonic and
figure out which sides
of the triangle you
need for tangent.
sine.

You need to pay attention to which angle you want the trig function
of so you know which side is opposite that angle and which side is
adjacent to it. The hypotenuse will always be the longest side and
will always be opposite the right angle.

Oh,
I'm
acute!

This method only applies if you have

a right triangle and is only for the
acute angles (angles less than 90)
in the triangle.

5
4

So
am I!

There are three more trig functions. They are called the
reciprocal functions because they are reciprocals of the first
three functions.
Oh yeah, this
Like the first three trig functions, these are referred
to by the first three letters except for cosecant since
it's first three letters are the same as for cosine.

opposite
sin
hypotenuse
adjacent
cos
hypotenuse
opposite
tan
adjacent

means to flip the

fraction over.

hypotenuse
cosecant
opposite
hypotenuse
secant
adjacent
adjacent
cotangent
opposite

Best way to remember these is learn which is reciprocal of which and flip them.

5
sec =
4

Let's try one:

a
4b

c
5

Which trig function is this the reciprocal of?

adjacent
hypotenuse
so sec is
cos is
hypotenuse
adjacent

cot =
a
a3

3
4

opposite
adjacent
tan is
so cot is
adjacent
opposite

As a way to help keep them straight I think, The "s" doesn't go with "s" and
the "c" doesn't go with "c" so if we want secant, it won't be the one that
starts with an "s" so it must be the reciprocal of cosine. (have to just
remember that tangent & cotangent go together but this will help you with
sine and cosine).

TRIGONMETRIC IDENTITIES
Trig identities are equations that are true for all angles in the domain. We'll be
learning lots of them and use them to help us solve trig equations.

RECIPROCAL IDENTITIES
These are based on what we just learned.

1
cosec
sin

1
sec
cos

1
cot
tan

We can discover the quotient identities if we take quotients of sin and cos:

0
sin h

cos a
h

o h o
tan
h a a

Which trig function is this?

Remember to simplify
complex fractions you invert
and multiply (take the bottom
fraction and "flip" it over and
multiply to the top fraction).

Try this same thing with

what do you get?

cos
sin

and

QUOTIENT IDENTITIES
These are based on what we just learned.

sin
tan
cos

cos
cot
sin

Now to discover my favorite trig identity, let's start with a right triangle and
the Pythagorean Theorem.

a 2 b2 c2
c
h

b
o
a

b2 a2 c2
c2 c2 c2
2
2
b
a
1
c
c
This one
is sin

This one
is cos

Rewrite trading terms places

Divide all terms by c2

Move the exponents to the outside

sin 2 cos 2 1

Look at the triangle and the angle and determine which trig function these

sin cos 1
2

This is a short-hand way you can write trig functions that are squared
Now to find the two more identities from this famous and often used one.

sin cos 1
2

cos2

cos2

What trig function

is this squared?

Divide all terms by cos2

cos2
What trig function
is this squared?

tan 1 sec
2

sin cos 1
2

sin2

sin2

Divide all terms by sin2

sin2

What trig function What trig function

is this squared?
is this squared?

1 cot cosec
2

These three are sometimes

called the Pythagorean
Identities since they come
from the Pythagorean
Theorem

RECIPROCAL IDENTITIES

1
cosec
sin

1
sec
cos

1
cot
tan

QUOTIENT IDENTITIES
cos
sin
cot
tan
sin
cos
PYTHAGOREAN IDENTITIES

sin cos 1
2

tan 1 sec
2

1 cot 2 cosec 2
All of the identities we learned are found in the back page of your book under
the heading Trigonometric Identities and then Fundamental Identities.
You'll need to have these memorized or be able to derive them for this course.

If the angle is acute (less than 90) and you have

the value of one of the six trigonometry functions,
you can find the other five.
Reciprocal of sine so "flip" sine over
Sine is the ratio of which
sides of a right triangle?

o
1
sin
3
h

cosec 3

a 1 3
2

When you know 2 sides of a right

triangle you can always find the 3rd
with the Pythagorean theorem.

a 82 2

2 a2

a 2 2
cos
3
h

Draw a right triangle and

label and the sides you
know.

o
1
tan
a 2 2

Now find the other

trig functions

sec 3

2 2

cot 2

"flipped"
cos

"flipped"
2 tan

There is another method for finding the other 5 trig

functions of an acute angle when you know one function.
This method is to use fundamental identities.

1
sin
3

We'd still get cosec by taking reciprocal of sin

sin 2 cos 2 1
2

cosec 3
Now use my favourite trig identity
Sub in the value of sine that you know

1
2
Solve this for cos
cos 1
3
This matches the
8
2
2
8
2
answer we got with
cos

cos
the other method
3
9
9
square root
We won't worry about
both sides

because angle not negative

You can easily find sec by taking reciprocal of cos.

Let's list what we have so far:

1
sin
3

3
2 2
sec
cosec 3 cos
2 2
3
sin
We need to get tangent using
tan
fundamental identities.
cos
1
3

Simplify by inverting and multiplying

1
3
1
tan

2 2
3 2 2 2 2
3

cot 2 2

Finally you can find

cot by taking the
reciprocal of this
answer.

SUMMARY OF METHODS FOR FINDING THE

REMAINING 5 TRIG FUNCTIONS OF AN ACUTE
ANGLE, GIVEN ONE TRIG FUNCTION.
METHOD 1
1. Draw a right triangle labeling and the two sides you
know from the given trig function.
2. Find the length of the side you don't know by using
the Pythagorean Theorem.
3. Use the definitions (remembered with a mnemonic) to
find other basic trig functions.
4. Find reciprocal functions by "flipping" basic trig
functions.
METHOD 2
Use fundamental trig identities to relate what you know
with what you want to find subbing in values you know.

The sum of all of the angles in a triangle always is 180

What is the sum of + ? 90

adjacent to
opposite

Since we have a 90 angle, the sum of the other two angles

must also be 90 (since the sum of all three is 180).

Two angles whose sum is

90 are called
complementary angles.

c
a

adjacent to
opposite

a
What is sin ?
c
a
What is cos ?
c

Since and are

complementary angles and
sin = cos ,
sine and cosine are called
cofunctions.
This is where we get the name
cosine, a cofunction of sine.

Looking at the names of the other trig functions can

you guess which ones are cofunctions of each other?
secant and cosecant

tangent and cotangent

adjacent to
opposite

Let's see if this is right. Does sec = cosec ?

hypotenuse over adjacent

c
a

adjacent to
opposite

hypotenuse over
opposite

c
sec cosec
b

This whole idea of the

relationship between
cofunctions can be
stated as:

Cofunctions of complementary
angles are equal.

Cofunctions of complementary angles are equal.

cos 27 = sin(90 - 27) = sin 63

Using the theorem above, what trig function of
what angle does this equal?

cot cot

tan
8
2 8
8

Let's try one in radians. What trig functions of

what angle does this equal?

The sum of complementary angles in radians is

2
90 is the same as
2

Basically any trig function then equals 90 minus or 2

minus its cofunction.

since

sin 36 sin 36
tan 36

sin 54 cos 36
We can't use fundamental identities if the trig functions are
of different angles.
Use the cofunction theorem to change the denominator
to its cofunction
Now that the angles are the same we can use a trig
identity to simplify.

Acknowledgement
I wish to thank Shawna Haider from Salt Lake Community College, Utah
USA for her hard work in creating this PowerPoint.
www.slcc.edu
Shawna has kindly given permission for this resource to be downloaded
from www.mathxtc.com and for it to be modified to suit the Western
Australian Mathematics Curriculum.

Stephen Corcoran
Head of Mathematics
St Stephens School Carramar
www.ststephens.wa.edu.au