Basics of Trigonometry

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 What Is Trigonometry?
• Trigonometry is the ratio
of one side to another in
a right-angled triangle.
• There are three basic
trigonometric functions:
sine, cosine and tangent,
each of which is a ratio
of one side to another.
• Trigonometry is often
shortened to just “trig”,
as it is easier to say.
 How to Use Trigonometry
• Take the right-angled
triangle to the right.
x
• Notice there is an
angle labelled ‘x’.
This is important for
trigonometry to
determine which sides
are used for
trigonometry.
 First, Label the Sides
• Each side is given a
label in relation to
angle ‘x’. There is the x hy

adjacent
e pote
hypotenuse, adjacent nu
s
and opposite side.
• Labelling the three
sides before opposit
continuing is best e
practice.
 First, Label the Sides
• The hypotenuse is the
side opposite the right
angle. It is also always x hy

adjacent
e pote
the longest side of the nu
s
right angled triangle.

opposit
e
 First, Label the Sides
• The adjacent is the
side next to angle ‘x’:
adjacent means “next x hy

adjacent
e pote
to”. nu
s
• Don’t confuse it with
the hypotenuse:
remember that the opposit
hypotenuse is opposite e
the right-angle.
 First, Label the Sides
• The opposite is, as it’s
name suggests,
opposite to angle ‘x’. x hy

adjacent
e pote nu
s

opposit
e
 So, Now the Trigonometry
• As previously
mentioned, the
trigonometric x hy

adjacent
e pote
functions: sine, cosine nu
s
and tangent are ratios
of the sides in relation
to angle ‘x’. opposit
e
 Firstly, Sine
• On calculators, sine is
shortened to “sin”.
• sine x = opposite / x hy

adjacent
hypotenuse e pote nu
• Possible values of sine x s
are between 0 and 1.
• e.g. sine 30° = ½
– This means that for a 30 opposit
degree angle, the e
opposite side is always ½
as big as the hypotenuse.
 Now Cosine
• On calculators, cosine is
shortened to “cos”.
• cosine x = adjacent / hypotenuse x hy

adjacent
• As with sine x, possible e pote nu
values of cosine x are s
between 0 and 1.
• e.g. cosine 45° = 0.707…
– This means that for a 45 opposit
degree angle, the adjacent e
side is always 0.707… times
as big as the hypotenuse.
 And Finally Tangent
• On calculators, tangent is
shortened to “tan”.
• tangent x = opposite / adjacent x hy

adjacent
• Any value for tangent x is e pote nu
possible, both positive and s
negative.
• e.g. tangent 15° = 0.267…
– This means that for a 45 opposit
degree angle, the opposite e
side is always 0.267…
times as big as the adjacent.
 Uses of Trigonometry
• Trigonometry can be
used to find out an angle ? 5
of a right-angled triangle 4
if you know two sides.
• Or it can be used to find
out a side if you know 30° 4
another side, and an
angle (other than the
right angle, of course). ?
 Finding Out an Unknown Side
• In this example to the
right, we know an angle,
and the opposite side.
• We want to know the 30 ?
hypotenuse.
• Which function uses the
°
opposite and the
hypotenuse? (scroll back 4
if necessary)
 Finding Out an Unknown Side
• We need sine.
• The unknown side is now
labelled a so we can refer to
it later, but it can be labelled
any letter of the alphabet, if 30 a
you like.
• We can now put the
°
information into the
formula:
sine x = opposite / hypotenuse
4
sine 30° = 4 / a
 Finding Out an Unknown Side
• Now for the maths-y bit
to rearrange the
equation to find a.
• sine 30° = 4 / a
– Multiply both sides by a
30 a
• → a sine 30° = 4 °
– Then divide both sides by sine
30°
• →a= 4 / sine 30°
– Now put it into the calculator
4
• → 4 sine 30° = 8
 Finding Out an Unknown Side
• Therefore, we have
worked out that the
hypotenuse is 8.
• You can do exactly the
same if you know a 30 8
different side, and want °
to know an unknown
side – you just need to
choose the right 4
function for the job.
 Finding the Angle
• Finding an angle is a
little more difficult.
• In this example, we
know the hypotenuse ?° 5
and the adjacent but we 4
don’t know the angle.
• Which function uses
the hypotenuse and the
adjacent?
 Finding the Angle
• We must use cosine.
• Let’s substitute the
information into the
formula. x° 5
• cosine x = adjacent / 4
hypotenuse
• cosine x° = 4 / 5
 Finding the Angle
• Now this is where it gets
difficult. We now have
to find the INVERSE of
cosine in order to find
the angle, which is found
x° 5
on calculators as cos-1.
4
• cosine x° = 4 / 5
• → x° = cos-1 4 / 5
• → cos-1 4 / 5 = 36.87 °
 Only the Start
• This, of course, is only
the start of
trigonometry, and
there are many more
functions and ways to
find other information
out.
• It even extends beyond
right-angled triangles!
 Any comments…
• Comments, criticisms (constructive or
otherwise) or corrections would be of great
help, thank you – just email me at
richardn413@googlemail.com.
• Thank you for watching this presentation
and hope you enjoyed and learned from it.