Trigonometric Functions

Share this post

1. Trigonometric Functions

Trigonometric functions are also known as circular functions. Trigonometric functions describe the relationship between the angles and the sides of a triangle. 

The six trigonometric functions are sin  \(sin \text{ }\theta\) , cos  \(cos \text{ }\theta\) , tan  \(tan \text{ }\theta\) , csc  \(csc \text{ }\theta\) , sec  \(sec \text{ }\theta\)  and cot  \(cot \text{ }\theta\)   whereby csc  \(csc \text{ }\theta\) =  \({1 \over sin \text{ } sin \text { } \theta}\) , sec  \(sec \text { } \theta\) =  \({1 \over cos \text{ } cos \text { } \theta}\) and cot  \(cot \text { } \theta\) =  \({1 \over tan \text{ } tan \text { } \theta}\) . 

On a Cartesian plane, sin  \(sin \text { } \theta\)  is positive on the I and II quadrants, cos  \(cos \text { } \theta\)  is positive on the I and IV quadrants and tan  \(tan \text { } \theta\)  is positive on the I and III quadrants. 

Their reciprocals functions have positive signs in the same quadrants. Thus, csc  \(csc \text { } \theta\) ,  is positive on the I and II quadrants, sec  \(sec \text { } \theta\)  is positive on the I and IV quadrants and cot \(cot \text { } \theta\)  is positive on the I and III quadrants. 

In other quadrants, the trigonometric functions have negative signs.

 

2. Trigonometric Ratios

 

 

Consider a right triangle with base x, height y and hypotenuse r. The ratios for the six trigonometric functions are:

 

\(sin \text{ } sin \text { } \theta = {opposite \over hypotenuse} = {y \over r}\)

\(cos \text{ } cos \text { } \theta = {adjecent \over hypotenuse} = {x \over r}\)

\(tan \text{ } tan \text { } \theta = {opposite \over adjacent} = {y \over x}\)

 

Following that, 

 

\(csc \text{ } csc\text { } \theta = {r \over y}\),   \(sec \text{ } sec \text { } \theta ={r \over x}\),   \(cot \text{ } cot \text { } \theta = {x \over y}\)

 

Take note that  \(r^2=x^2+y^2.\)

 

Example 

 

 

Example

 

 

sin  \(sin \text { } \theta\) =-2425   (because sin is negative in Quadrant III)

cos  \(cos \text { } \theta\)  =-725   (because cos is negative in Quadrant III)

tan  \(tan \text { } \theta\) =247       (because tan is positive in Quadrant III)

csc  \(csc \text { } \theta\) =-2524    (because csc is negative in Quadrant III)

sec  \(sec \text { } \theta\) =-257    (because sec is negative in Quadrant III)

cot  \(cot \text { } \theta\) =724        (because cot is positive in Quadrant III)

 

 

 

Tag Secondary school Trigonometric functions Trigonometric ratios

Reflection

What are the six trigonometric functions?

This field is required

The text is too short

The text is too long

How do you read the trigonometric ratios using the sides of a right triangle?

This field is required

The text is too short

The text is too long

 

Given the above right triangle in the fourth quadrant, what is the value of:

1. Hypotenuse?

 

2. sin \(sin \text { } \theta\) ?

3. cos  \(cos \text { } \theta\)?

4. tan  \(tan \text { } \theta\)

 

5. csc \(csc \text { } \theta\)?

6. sec \(sec \text { } \theta\) ?

8. cot  \(cot \text { } \theta\)?

What is the relationship between sin sin (theta), cos cos (theta), tan tan (theta) and csc csc (theta), sec sec (theta) and cot cot (theta) ?

This field is required

The text is too short

The text is too long

How do you read the six trigonometric ratios from a right triangle?

This field is required

The text is too short

The text is too long

Loading...
Load lesson