Evaluating Trigonometric Functions

• Acute angle A is drawn in

standard position as shown.

Right-Triangle-Based Definitions of Trigonometric Functions

For any acute angle A in standard position,
y side opposite r hypotenuse
sin A   csc A  
r hypotenuse y side opposite

x side adjacent r hypotenuse

cos A   sec A  
r hypotenuse x side adjacent

y side opposite x side adjacent

tan A   cot A  
x side adjacent y side opposite
Copyright © 2007 Pearson Education, Inc. Slide 8-1
 Finding Trigonometric Function Values
of an Acute Angle in a Right Triangle
Example Find the values of sin A, cos A, and tan A
in the right triangle.

Solution
– length of side opposite angle A is 7
– length of side adjacent angle A is 24
– length of hypotenuse is 25
7 24 7
sin A  , cos A  , tan A 
25 25 24
Copyright © 2007 Pearson Education, Inc. Slide 8-2
 Trigonometric Function Values of
Special Angles
• Angles that deserve special study are 30º, 45º, and 60º.

Using the figures above,

we have the exact values
of the special angles
summarized in the table
on the right.
Copyright © 2007 Pearson Education, Inc. Slide 8-3
 Cofunction Identities

• In a right triangle ABC, with right angle C, the acute

angles A and B are complementary.
a
sin A   cos B
c
a
tan A   cot B
b
c
sec A   csc B
b

• Since angles A and B are complementary, and

sin A = cos B, the functions sine and cosine are called
cofunctions. Similarly for secant and cosecant, and
tangent and cotangent.
Copyright © 2007 Pearson Education, Inc. Slide 8-4
 Cofunction Identities

If A is an acute angle measured in degrees, then

  
sin A  cos(90  A) csc A  sec(90  A) tan A  cot(90  A)
  
cos A  sin( 90  A) sec A  csc(90  A) cot A  tan(90  A)

If A is an acute angle measured in radians, then

 
sin A  cos  A 
   
csc A  sec  A     A 
tan A  cot 
2  2  2 
 
cos A  sin   A 
  
sec A  csc  A  
cot A  tan   A 

2  2  2 

Note These identities actually apply to all angles (not just

acute angles).
Copyright © 2007 Pearson Education, Inc. Slide 8-5
 Reference Angles

• A reference angle for an angle , written  , is

the positive acute angle made by the terminal
side of angle  and the x-axis.
Example Find the reference angle for each angle.
(a) 218º (b) 5
6
Solution
5 
(a)   = 218 – 180 = 38
º º º 
(b)     
6 6

Copyright © 2007 Pearson Education, Inc. Slide 8-6

 Special Angles as Reference Angles

Example Find the values of the trigonometric

functions for 210º.
Solution The reference angle for 210º is
210º – 180º = 30º.
Choose point P on the terminal
side so that the distance from
the origin to P is 2. A 30º - 60º
right triangle is formed.
1 3 3
sin 210   cos 210   tan 210 
  

2 2 3
2 3
csc 210  2 sec 210   cot 210  3
  

3
Copyright © 2007 Pearson Education, Inc. Slide 8-7
 Finding Trigonometric Function
Values Using Reference Angles
Example Find the exact value of each expression.
(a) cos(–240º) (b) tan 675º
Solution
(a) –240º is coterminal with 120º.
The reference angle is
180º – 120º = 60º. Since –240º
lies in quadrant II, the
cos(–240º) is negative.
1
cos( 240 )   cos 60  
 
2
(a) Similarly,
tan 675º = tan 315º
= –tan 45º = –1.

Copyright © 2007 Pearson Education, Inc. Slide 8-8

 8.3 Finding Trigonometric Function
Values with a Calculator
Example Approximate the value of each expression.
(a) cos 49º 12 (b) csc 197.977º

Solution Set the calculator in degree mode.

Copyright © 2007 Pearson Education, Inc. Slide 8-9

 Finding Angle Measure

Example Using Inverse Trigonometric Functions to Find

Angles
(a) Use a calculator to find an angle  in degrees that satisfies
sin   .9677091705.
(b) Use a calculator to find an angle  in radians that satisfies
tan   .25.
Solution
(a) With the calculator in degree mode,
we find that an angle having a sine
value of .9677091705 is 75.4º. Write
this as sin-1 .9677091705  75.4º.
(b) With the calculator in radian mode,
we find tan-1 .25  .2449786631.
Copyright © 2007 Pearson Education, Inc. Slide 8-10
 Finding Angle Measure

Example Find all values of , if  is in the interval

[0º, 360º) and cos   22 .
Solution Since cosine is negative,  must lie in
either quadrant II or III. Since cos  22 , cos 1 22  45.
So the reference angle   = 45º.

The quadrant II angle  = 180º – 45º = 135º, and the

quadrant III angle  = 180º + 45º = 225º.
Copyright © 2007 Pearson Education, Inc. Slide 8-11