Appendix B Trigonometry Needed for College Physics FUNCTIONS OF AN ACUTE ANGLE: The trigonometric functions most often used are the sine, cosine, and tangent. It is convenient to put the definitions of the functions of an acute angle in terms of the sides of a right triangle. In any right triangle: The sine of either acute angle is equal to the length of the side opposite that angle divided by the length of the hypotenuse, The cosine of either acute angle is equal to the length of side adjacent to that angle divided by the length of the hypotenuse. The tangent of either acute angle is equal to the length of the side opposite that angle divided by the length of the side adjacent to that angle. If @ and 6 are the acute angles of any right triangle and 4, B, and C are the sides, as shown in the diagram, then sino = -orPosite _ By opposite _A °= Fypotemuse ~ C °= Bypotenuse ~ & . _ajacent 4 _ adjacent as C088 Fpotenuse C8?“ Fypotenusé ~ C é opposite B opposite 4 9 Giant A? SGjacent B Aaent-0 Note that sin cos 4; thus the sine of any angle equals the cosine of its complementary angle. For example, sin 30° = cos(90° ~ 30°) = cos60° cos 0” = sin(90° ~ 50°) = sin 40” As an angle increases from 0° to 90”, its sine increases from 0 to 1, its tangent increases from 0 to infinity, and its cosine decreases from 1 to 0. LAW OF SINES AND OF COSINES: ‘These two laws give the relations between the sides and angles of any plane triangle. In any plane triangle with angles a, 3, and and sides opposite 4, B, and C, respectively, the following relations apply: Law of Sines 4 Sina Sing Sing sing B_ sing C_siny or ing © Sny A a Law of Cosines A B= B+ C~2BC cosa B= 4C?-2AC cos8 C=# +B -2AB cosy If the angle 9 is between 90° and 180°, as in the case of angle C in the above diagram, then sin@ = sin(180" 8) and 0s = ~cos (180° — 8) 419 Copyright 1997, 1989, 1979, 1961, 1942, 1940, 1939, 1936 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Ine. Click Here for Terms of Use.420 ‘TRIGONOMETRY NEEDED FOR COLLEGE PHYSICS [APPENDIX B Thus in(180° — 120°) = sin 60° = 0,866 -0s(180° ~ 120°) = — eos 60° = -0,500 Solved Problems 1 In right triangle ABC, given A 8, B= 6, y= 90". Find the values of the sine, cosine, and tangent of angle a and of angle 6. C= VEE FEE = v0 = 10 sina = 4/C=80/10-080 sing — B/C = 60/10 0.60 c a8 cos 0 = B/C = 60/10 = 060 cos 8 = 4/C =8.0/10= 080 tana 0/60=13 tan B= BJA =6.0/80=0.75 A Be 2 Given a right triangle with one acute angle 40.0° and hypotenuse 400. Find the other sides and angles. and Using « calculator, we find that sin40.0° = 0.6428 and co 400 4 605 40.0" = 0.7660. Then «a = 400 sin 40.0" = 400(0.6428) = 257 d 15 = 400 cos 40.0" = 400(0.7660) = 306 a B= 90.0" — 40.0" = 50.0" 3 Given triangle ABC with « = 640°, 9 = 71.0°, B = 40.0°, Find Aand C y= 180.0" (a +9} = 180.0" ~ (64.0" + 71.0") = 45.0" By the law of sines, # Gna ting 4 Say Sin 40.0sin64.0° _ 40.0(0.8988) 7009455 40.0sin45.0° _ 40.0(07071) 4 (a) If cosa = 0.438, find a to the nearest degree. (6) If sin 6 = 0.8000, find {to the nearest tenth of a degree. (c) If cosy = 0.7120, find + to the nearest tenth of a degree. (a) On your calculator use the inverse and cosine keys to get «= 64°; or if you have & cos key use it (Enter 0.8000 on your calculator and use the inverse and sine keys to get 9 = 531°. (6) Use your ealeulator as in (a) 0 get 44.6"APPENDIX B] ‘TRIGONOMETRY NEEDED FOR COLLEGE PHYSICS a2 5 Given triangle ABC with a ~ 1308", A ~ 525, C= 421, Find B, 5, and sin 108° = sin (180° — 1308) = sin 49.2" = 0757 Most hand caculators give sin 1308" diet , sin308 2100950) Fory: sing = Cine _M21sin WO" _ PLOTS) _ 9 697 from which -y = 37.4" A525 Fors: §=180°~(y~0) = 180 — (374° + 15088) = 118" coal vos For we 7 6 Given triangle ABC with 4 = 14, B= 80, = 130°. Find C, 0, and 3 os 130" = ~cos(140"~ 1307) = ~cs50" = -0.64 For C: By the law of cosines, Ca a4 B= 24Bc08 130° 14 + 8.0" — 2(14)(8.0)(—0.683) = 408 and C = VIE = 20, For a: By the law of sines, 4 14(0.766) sina = 43 = 0533 anda =3 For 6 5-= 180° ~ (a +9) = 180" ~ (32° + 130°) = 18° Exercises 7 Solve each of the following right triangles ABC, with + = 90° (@ a=23,C=M6 (d)A=254, 382 ) g=492,8 (9) B=673, C= 888 (© a= 666, Ans, (a) $= 66.77, A= 137, B= 318 (d) a= 33.6", B= 56.4", C= 45.9 (8) a= 40.8", A= 192, C= 293 (e) a= 40.77, 9 = 49.3, A= 579 (9) 6= 234", B=489,C = 123, 8 Solve cach of the following oblique triangles ABC, @) A= 15,0 = 546, 8 = 65.2" 18° (@) B=31, a= 75H, y= 38S = us (© BH215,C= 150, 6-427 (g) A= 245, BH 186, C~ 264 () A=512, B= 426, a= 488° (i) A= 6.34, B= 7.30, C= 9.98 Ans. (a) B=139, C=13, y= 602) AH2S1, a= 260, y= 355 @) 4=39, C=218, 662° (A= MA S178, y= 4S (©) A= 300, = 109.1, y= 282" (g) a= 632, B= AUT, y= THI (@) C= 680, B= 388 y= 924 fh) = 3, B= 469", y= 938°