Trig Cheat Sheet

Definition of the Trig Functions

Right triangle definition
For this definition we assume that Unit circle definition
p For this definition q is any angle.
0 < q < or 0 < q < 90 .
2 y

( x, y )
hypotenuse 1
y q
opposite x
x
q
adjacent
opposite hypotenuse y 1
sin q = csc q = sin q = =y csc q =
hypotenuse opposite 1 y
adjacent hypotenuse x 1
cos q = sec q = cos q = = x sec q =
hypotenuse adjacent 1 x
opposite adjacent y x
tan q = cot q = tan q = cot q =
adjacent opposite x y

Facts and Properties

Domain
The domain is all the values of q that Period
can be plugged into the function. The period of a function is the number,
T, such that f (q + T ) = f (q ) . So, if w
sin q , q can be any angle is a fixed number and q is any angle we
cos q , q can be any angle have the following periods.
1
tan q , q n + p , n = 0, 1, 2,K
2 2p
sin ( wq ) T=
csc q , q n p , n = 0, 1, 2,K w
1 2p
sec q , q n + p , n = 0, 1, 2,K cos (wq ) T =
2 w
cot q , q n p , n = 0, 1, 2,K p
tan (wq ) T =
w
Range 2p
csc (wq ) T =
The range is all possible values to get w
out of the function. 2p
-1 sin q 1 csc q 1 and csc q -1 sec (wq ) T =
w
-1 cos q 1 sec q 1 and sec q -1 p
- < tan q < - < cot q < cot (wq ) T =
w

2005 Paul Dawkins

 Formulas and Identities
Tangent and Cotangent Identities Half Angle Formulas (alternate form)
sin q cos q q 1 - cos q 1
tan q = cot q = sin = sin 2 q = (1 - cos ( 2q ) )
cos q sin q 2 2 2
Reciprocal Identities
q 1 + cos q 1
csc q =
1
sin q =
1 cos
2
=
2
cos 2 q =
2
(1 + cos ( 2q ) )
sin q csc q
1 1 q 1 - cos q 1 - cos ( 2q )
sec q = cos q = tan = tan 2 q =
cos q sec q 2 1 + cos q 1 + cos ( 2q )
1 1 Sum and Difference Formulas
cot q = tan q =
tan q cot q sin (a b ) = sin a cos b cos a sin b
Pythagorean Identities cos (a b ) = cos a cos b m sin a sin b
sin 2 q + cos 2 q = 1
tan a tan b
tan 2 q + 1 = sec 2 q tan (a b ) =
1 m tan a tan b
1 + cot 2 q = csc 2 q Product to Sum Formulas
1
Even/Odd Formulas sin a sin b = cos (a - b ) - cos (a + b )
sin ( -q ) = - sin q csc ( -q ) = - csc q 2
1
cos ( -q ) = cos q sec ( -q ) = sec q cos a cos b = cos (a - b ) + cos (a + b )
2
tan ( -q ) = - tan q cot ( -q ) = - cot q 1
sin a cos b = sin (a + b ) + sin (a - b )
Periodic Formulas 2
If n is an integer. 1
cos a sin b = sin (a + b ) - sin (a - b )
sin (q + 2p n ) = sin q csc (q + 2p n ) = csc q 2
Sum to Product Formulas
cos (q + 2p n ) = cos q sec (q + 2p n ) = sec q
a + b a - b
tan (q + p n ) = tan q cot (q + p n ) = cot q sin a + sin b = 2sin cos
2 2
Double Angle Formulas
a + b a - b
sin a - sin b = 2 cos sin
sin ( 2q ) = 2sin q cos q 2 2
cos ( 2q ) = cos 2 q - sin 2 q cos a + cos b = 2 cos
a + b a - b
cos
= 2 cos 2 q - 1 2 2
a + b a - b
= 1 - 2sin 2 q cos a - cos b = -2sin sin
2 2
2 tan q
tan ( 2q ) = Cofunction Formulas
1 - tan 2 q
p p
Degrees to Radians Formulas sin - q = cos q cos - q = sin q
2 2
If x is an angle in degrees and t is an
angle in radians then p p
csc - q = sec q sec - q = csc q
p t px 180t 2 2
= t= and x = p p
180 x 180 p tan - q = cot q cot - q = tan q
2 2

2005 Paul Dawkins

 Unit Circle

y
( 0,1)
p 1 3
1 3 2 , 2
- , 2
2 2 p 2 2
2p 90 ,
2 2 3 2 2
- , 3
2 2 120 p
3p 60 3 1
4 2 , 2
3 1 4 45 p
- , 135
2 2 5p
6
6 30
150

( -1,0 ) p 180 0 0 (1,0 )

360 2p x

210
7p 330
11p
6 225
3 1 6 3 1
- ,- 5p 315 ,-
2 2 2 2
4 240 300 7p
2 4p 270
-
2
,- 5p 4 2 2
2 2 3 3p
2
,-
2

3
1 3 2
- ,- 1 3
2 2 ,-
2 2
( 0,-1)

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

Example
5p 1 5p 3
cos = sin =-
3 2 3 2

2005 Paul Dawkins

 Inverse Trig Functions
Definition Inverse Properties
y = sin -1 x is equivalent to x = sin y cos ( cos -1 ( x ) ) = x cos -1 ( cos (q ) ) = q
y = cos -1 x is equivalent to x = cos y sin ( sin -1 ( x ) ) = x sin -1 ( sin (q ) ) = q
y = tan -1 x is equivalent to x = tan y
tan ( tan -1 ( x ) ) = x tan -1 ( tan (q ) ) = q
Domain and Range
Function Domain Range Alternate Notation
p p sin -1 x = arcsin x
y = sin -1 x -1 x 1 - y
2 2 cos -1 x = arccos x
y = cos -1 x -1 x 1 0 y p tan -1 x = arctan x
p p
y = tan -1 x - < x < - < y<
2 2

Law of Sines, Cosines and Tangents

c b a

a g

Law of Sines Law of Tangents

sin a sin b sin g
= = a - b tan 12 (a - b )
=
a b c a + b tan 12 (a + b )
Law of Cosines b - c tan 12 ( b - g )
=
a 2 = b2 + c 2 - 2bc cos a b + c tan 12 ( b + g )
b 2 = a 2 + c 2 - 2ac cos b a - c tan 12 (a - g )
=
c = a + b - 2ab cos g a + c tan 12 (a + g )
2 2 2

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

2005 Paul Dawkins