Formulas and Identities

Trig Cheat Sheet

Definition of the Trig Functions
Right triangle definition
For this definition we assume that
0 < <

or 0 < < 90 .

Unit circle definition

For this definition is any angle.
y

( x, y )
hypotenuse

opposite

tan + 1 = sec
2

adjacent
opposite
hypotenuse
adjacent
cos =
hypotenuse
opposite
tan =
adjacent

sin =

Tangent and Cotangent Identities

sin
cos
tan =
cot =
cos
sin
Reciprocal Identities
1
1
csc =
sin =
sin
csc
1
1
sec =
cos =
cos
sec
1
1
cot =
tan =
tan
cot
Pythagorean Identities
sin 2 + cos 2 = 1

hypotenuse
opposite
hypotenuse
sec =
adjacent
adjacent
cot =
opposite
csc =

y
=y
1
x
cos = = x
1
y
tan =
x

sin =

1
y
1
sec =
x
x
cot =
y
csc =

Facts and Properties

Domain
The domain is all the values of that
can be plugged into the function.
sin , can be any angle
cos , can be any angle
1

tan , n + , n = 0, 1, 2,
2

,
n = 0, 1, 2,
csc ,
1

sec , n + , n = 0, 1, 2,
2

,
n = 0, 1, 2,
cot ,
Range
The range is all possible values to get
out of the function.
csc 1 and csc 1
1 sin 1
1 cos 1 sec 1 and sec 1
tan
cot

Period
The period of a function is the number,
T, such that f ( + T ) = f ( ) . So, if
is a fixed number and is any angle we
have the following periods.
sin ( )

T=

cos ( )

tan ( )

csc ( )

sec ( )

cot ( )

2
=

2
=

2
=

2005 Paul Dawkins

1 + cot 2 = csc 2
Even/Odd Formulas
sin ( ) = sin
csc ( ) = csc
cos ( ) = cos

sec ( ) = sec

tan ( ) = tan

cot ( ) = cot

Periodic Formulas
If n is an integer.
sin ( + 2 n ) = sin

csc ( + 2 n ) = csc

cos ( + 2 n ) = cos sec ( + 2 n ) = sec

tan ( + n ) = tan cot ( + n ) = cot
Double Angle Formulas
sin ( 2 ) = 2sin cos
cos ( 2 ) = cos 2 sin 2
= 2 cos 2 1
= 1 2sin 2
2 tan
tan ( 2 ) =
1 tan 2
Degrees to Radians Formulas
If x is an angle in degrees and t is an
angle in radians then

x
180t
t
=
t=
and x =

180 x
180

Half Angle Formulas

1
sin 2 = (1 cos ( 2 ) )
2
1
cos 2 = (1 + cos ( 2 ) )
2
1 cos ( 2 )
2
tan =
1 + cos ( 2 )
Sum and Difference Formulas
sin ( ) = sin cos cos sin
cos ( ) = cos cos sin sin
tan tan
1 tan tan
Product to Sum Formulas
1
sin sin = cos ( ) cos ( + )
2
1
cos cos = cos ( ) + cos ( + )
2
1
sin cos = sin ( + ) + sin ( )
2
1
cos sin = sin ( + ) sin ( )
2
Sum to Product Formulas
+

sin + sin = 2sin
cos

2
+
sin sin = 2 cos

sin
2 2
+

cos + cos = 2 cos
cos

2
+
cos cos = 2sin
sin

2 2
Cofunction Formulas
tan ( ) =

sin = cos
2

cos = sin
2

csc = sec
2

sec = csc
2

tan = cot
2

cot = tan
2

2005 Paul Dawkins

Unit Circle
y

3 1
,
2 2

3
4

( 0,1)

1 3
,
2 2

2 2
,

2 2

Inverse Trig Functions

2
2
3

90
120

sin ( sin 1 ( x ) ) = x

sin 1 ( sin ( ) ) =

tan ( tan 1 ( x ) ) = x

tan 1 ( tan ( ) ) =

45
30

Domain and Range

Function
Domain

3 1
2 , 2

y = sin 1 x

1 x 1

150
( 1,0 )

y = cos 1 x is equivalent to x = cos y

y = tan x is equivalent to x = tan y

2 2
,

2 2

180

Inverse Properties
cos ( cos 1 ( x ) ) = x
cos1 ( cos ( ) ) =

60

135

5
6

1 3
,
2 2

Definition
y = sin 1 x is equivalent to x = sin y

360

y = cos x

1 x 1

y = tan 1 x

< x <

(1,0 )

Range

3 1
,
2
2

2
2
,

2
2

210

5
4

330
225

4
3

240

1
3
,

2 2

315
7
300
270
4
5
3
3
2

( 0,1)

11
6

< y<

For any ordered pair on the unit circle ( x, y ) : cos = x and sin = y

Law of Sines
sin sin sin
=
=
a
b
c

Law of Tangents
a b tan 12 ( )
=
a + b tan 12 ( + )

Law of Cosines
a 2 = b 2 + c 2 2bc cos

b c tan 12 ( )
=
b + c tan 12 ( + )

c = a + b 2ab cos
2

5 1
cos =
3 2

b 2 = a 2 + c 2 2ac cos

Example

tan 1 x = arctan x

3 1
,
2 2

1
3
,

2 2

cos 1 x = arccos x

Law of Sines, Cosines and Tangents

2
2
,

2
2

y
2
2
0 y

c
7
6

Alternate Notation
sin 1 x = arcsin x

a c tan 12 ( )
=
a + c tan 12 ( + )

Mollweides Formula
a + b cos 12 ( )
=
c
sin 12

3
5
sin =
2
3

2005 Paul Dawkins

2005 Paul Dawkins