Fundamentals of Trigonometry
1.1 Definition of Trigonometry
Trigonometry is the branch of mathematics that studies the relationships between
the sides and angles of triangles.
1.2 The Right Triangle
For a right triangle with:
𝑟
Hypotenuse =
𝑦
Opposite side =
𝑥
Adjacent side =
𝜃
Angle
θ (between the adjacent side and the hypotenuse)
The primary trigonometric ratios are:
Ratio Definition Formula
Sine Opposite / Hypotenuse
sin
𝜃
𝑦
=
𝑟
sinθ=
r
y
Cosine Adjacent / Hypotenuse
cos
𝜃
𝑥
=
𝑟
cosθ=
r
x
Tangent Opposite / Adjacent
tan
𝜃
𝑦
=
𝑥
tanθ=
x
y
Cosecant 1 / Sine
csc
𝜃
𝑟
=
𝑦
cscθ=
y
r
Secant 1 / Cosine
sec
𝜃
𝑟
=
𝑥
secθ=
x
r
Cotangent 1 / Tangent
cot
𝜃
𝑥
=
𝑦
cotθ=
y
x
1.3 Reciprocal Identities
sin
𝜃
=
1
csc
𝜃
,
cos
𝜃
=
1
sec
𝜃
,
tan
𝜃
=
1
cot
𝜃
sinθ=
cscθ
1
,cosθ=
secθ
1
,tanθ=
cotθ
1
1.4 Pythagorean Identities
sin
𝜃
2
+
cos
𝜃
2
=
1
sin
2
θ+cos
2
θ=1
1
+
tan
𝜃
2
=
sec
𝜃
2
1+tan
2
θ=sec
2
θ
1
+
cot
𝜃
2
=
csc
𝜃
2
1+cot
2
θ=csc
2
θ
Page 2: Angles and the Unit Circle
2.1 Angle Measurement
Degrees: 360° in a circle.
Radians:
𝜋
2
2π radians in a circle.
Conversion:
1
radian
=
180
𝜋
°
,
1
°
𝜋
=
180
°
radians
1 radian=
π
180°
,1°=
180°
π
radians
2.2 The Unit Circle
A circle centered at the origin with radius 1.
Coordinates of a point on the circle:
𝑥
(
𝑦
,
)
=
(
cos
𝜃
,
sin
𝜃
)
(x,y)=(cosθ,sinθ)
Quadrant Sign of sin Sign of cos Sign of tan
I + + +
II + – –
III – – +
IV – + –
2.3 Reference Angles
𝜃
The reference angle is the acute angle formed by the terminal side of
θ and the x-axis.
Used to find trigonometric values in any quadrant.
2.4 Common Angles and Values
Angle Radians sin θ cos θ tan θ
0° 0 0 1 0
30° π/6 1/2 √3/2 1/√3
45° π/4 √2/2 √2/2 1
60° π/3 √3/2 1/2 √3
90° π/2 1 0 undefined
Page 3: Trigonometric Graphs
3.1 Sine and Cosine Graphs
General form:
𝐴
=
sin
𝐵
(
𝐶
+
𝐷
+
𝑦
or
𝐴
=
cos
𝐵
(
𝐶
+
𝐷
+
y=Asin(Bx+C)+Dory=Acos(Bx+C)+D
Parameter Meaning
𝐴
A Amplitude = (
𝐵
B Affects period:
Period
=
𝜋
2
𝐵
Period=
B
2π
𝐶
C Phase shift =
𝐶
−
𝐵
−
B
C
𝐷
D Vertical shift
Example:
𝑦
=
3
sin
(
𝑥
2
𝜋
−
)
+
1
y=3sin(2x−π)+1
𝜋
Amplitude = 3, Period =
𝜋
π, Phase shift =
2
2
π
, Vertical shift = 1
𝑦
3.2 Tangent and Cotangent Graphs
𝐴
=
tan
𝐵
(
𝐶
+
)
y=Atan(Bx+C)
𝜋
Period:
𝐵
B
π
Vertical asymptotes: occur where
cos
𝐵
(
𝐶
+
)
=
0
cos(Bx+C)=0
Page 4: Trigonometric Identities and Equations
4.1 Cofunction Identities
sin
𝜋
(
𝜃
−
)
=
cos
𝜃
,
cos
𝜋
(
𝜃
−
)
=
sin
𝜃
sin(
2
π
−θ)=cosθ,cos(
2
π
−θ)=sinθ
tan
𝜋
(
𝜃
−
)
=
cot
𝜃
,
csc
𝜋
(
𝜃
−
)
=
sec
𝜃
tan(
2
π
−θ)=cotθ,csc(
2
π
−θ)=secθ
4.2 Double-Angle Formulas
sin
(
𝜃
2
)
=
2
sin
𝜃
cos
𝜃
sin(2θ)=2sinθcosθ
cos
(
𝜃
2
)
=
cos
𝜃
2
−
sin
𝜃
2
=
2
cos
𝜃
2
−
1
=
1
−
2
sin
𝜃
2
cos(2θ)=cos
2
θ−sin
2
θ=2cos
2
θ−1=1−2sin
2
θ
tan
(
𝜃
2
)
=
2
tan
𝜃
1
−
tan
𝜃
2
tan(2θ)=
1−tan
2
θ
2tanθ
4.3 Sum and Difference Formulas
sin
𝐴
(
𝐵
±
)
=
sin
𝐴
cos
𝐵
±
cos
𝐴
sin
𝐵
sin(A±B)=sinAcosB±cosAsinB
cos
𝐴
(
𝐵
±
)
=
cos
𝐴
cos
𝐵
∓
sin
𝐴
sin
𝐵
cos(A±B)=cosAcosB∓sinAsinB
tan
𝐴
(
𝐵
±
)
=
tan
𝐴
±
tan
𝐵
1
∓
tan
𝐴
tan
𝐵
tan(A±B)=
1∓tanAtanB
tanA±tanB
4.4 Solving Trig Equations
Example: Solve
2
sin
𝑥
=
1
2sinx=1
sin
𝑥
=
1
2
𝑥
⇒
𝜋
=
6
+
𝑛
2
𝑥
,
𝜋
5
6
+
𝑛
2
𝜋
sinx=
2
1
⇒x=
6
π
+2nπ,x=
6
5π
+2nπ
Page 5: Applications of Trigonometry
5.1 Law of Sines
𝐴
For any triangle
𝐵
𝐶
ABC:
𝑎
sin
𝐴
𝑏
=
sin
𝐵
𝑐
=
sin
𝐶
sinA
a
=
sinB
b
=
sinC
c
Used for ASA or AAS triangles.
𝑐
5.2 Law of Cosines
𝑎
=
𝑏
+
2
−
𝑎
2
𝑏
cos
𝐶
c
2
=a
2
+b
2
−2abcosC
Also,
𝑎
2
𝑏
=
𝑐
+
2
−
𝑏
2
𝑐
cos
𝐴
𝑏
,
2
𝑎
=
𝑐
+
2
−
𝑎
2
𝑐
cos
𝐵
a
2
=b
2
+c
2
−2bccosA,b
2
=a
2
+c
2
−2accosB
Used for SAS or SSS triangles.
5.3 Area of a Triangle (Using Trig)
Area
=
1
𝑎
2
𝑏
sin
𝐶
Area=
2
1
absinC
5.4 Vectors and Trigonometry
𝑟
For a vector with magnitude
𝜃
r and direction
θ:
v
=
𝑟
⟨
cos
𝜃
𝑟
,
sin
𝜃
⟩
v=⟨rcosθ,rsinθ⟩
Magnitude:
∣
v
∣
𝑥
=
𝑦
+
2
∣v∣=
x
2
+y
2
𝜃
Direction angle:
=
tan
−
1
𝑦
(
𝑥
)
θ=tan
−1
(
x
y
5.5 Real-World Applications
Navigation: Bearings and angles of elevation/depression
Engineering: Wave motion, oscillations, AC circuits
Physics: Projectile motion, vector decomposition
Astronomy: Measuring distances using parallax and angular measurements