Trig Cheat Sheet

Definition of the Trig Functions

Right triangle definition Unit Circle Definition
For this definition we assume that For this definition θ is any angle.
π
0 < θ < or 0◦ < θ < 90◦ .
2

opposite hypotenuse
sin(θ) = csc(θ) = y 1
hypotenuse opposite sin(θ) = =y csc(θ) =
adjacent hypotenuse 1 y
cos(θ) = sec(θ) = x 1
hypotenuse adjacent cos(θ) = = x sec(θ) =
opposite adjacent 1 x
tan(θ) = cot(θ) = y x
adjacent opposite tan(θ) = cot(θ) =
x y
Facts and Properties
Domain Period
The domain is all the values of θ that can be The period of a function is the number, T , such
plugged into the function. that f (θ + T ) = f (θ). So, if ω is a fixed number
sin(θ), θ can be any angle and θ is any angle we have the following
periods.
cos(θ), θ can be any angle 2π
  sin (ω θ) → T =
1 ω
tan(θ), θ 6= n + π, n = 0, ±1, ±2, . . .
2 2π
cos (ω θ) → T =
ω
csc(θ), θ 6= nπ, n = 0, ±1, ±2, . . . π
  tan (ω θ) → T =
1 ω
sec(θ), θ 6= n + π, n = 0, ±1, ±2, . . .
2 2π
csc (ω θ) → T =
ω
cot(θ), θ 6= nπ, n = 0, ±1, ±2, . . .
2π
sec (ω θ) → T =
ω
π
cot (ω θ) → T =
ω
Range
The range is all possible values to get out of the function.
−1 ≤ sin(θ) ≤ 1 −1 ≤ cos(θ) ≤ 1
−∞ < tan(θ) < ∞ −∞ < cot(θ) < ∞
sec(θ) ≥ 1 and sec(θ) ≤ −1 csc(θ) ≥ 1 and csc(θ) ≤ −1

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 Trig Cheat Sheet

Formulas and Identities

Tangent and Cotangent Identities Half Angle Formulas
sin(θ) cos(θ)  
θ
r
1 − cos(θ)
tan(θ) = cot(θ) = sin =±
cos(θ) sin(θ) 2 2
Reciprocal Identities   r
θ 1 + cos(θ)
1 1 cos =±
csc(θ) = sin(θ) = 2 2
sin(θ) csc(θ) s
 
1 1 θ 1 − cos(θ)
sec(θ) = cos(θ) = tan =±
cos(θ) sec(θ) 2 1 + cos(θ)
1 1
cot(θ) = tan(θ) = Half Angle Formulas (alternate form)
tan(θ) cot(θ)
Pythagorean Identities sin2 (θ) = 1
2 (1 − cos(2θ)) 1 − cos(2θ)
tan2 (θ) =
cos2 (θ) = 12 (1 + cos(2θ)) 1 + cos(2θ)
sin2 (θ) + cos2 (θ) = 1
tan2 (θ) + 1 = sec2 (θ) Sum and Difference Formulas
2
1 + cot (θ) = csc2 (θ) sin(α ± β) = sin(α) cos(β) ± cos(α) sin(β)

Even/Odd Formulas cos(α ± β) = cos(α) cos(β) ∓ sin(α) sin(β)

sin(−θ) = − sin(θ) csc(−θ) = − csc(θ) tan(α) ± tan(β)
tan(α ± β) =
cos(−θ) = cos(θ) sec(−θ) = sec(θ) 1 ∓ tan(α) tan(β)

tan(−θ) = − tan(θ) cot(−θ) = − cot(θ) Product to Sum Formulas

1
Periodic Formulas sin(α) sin(β) = 2 [cos(α − β) − cos(α + β)]
1
If n is an integer then, cos(α) cos(β) = 2 [cos(α − β) + cos(α + β)]
1
sin(θ + 2πn) = sin(θ) csc(θ + 2πn) = csc(θ) sin(α) cos(β) = 2 [sin(α + β) + sin(α − β)]
1
cos(θ + 2πn) = cos(θ) sec(θ + 2πn) = sec(θ) cos(α) sin(β) = 2 [sin(α + β) − sin(α − β)]

tan(θ + πn) = tan(θ) cot(θ + πn) = cot(θ) Sum to Product Formulas

   
α+β α−β
Degrees to Radians Formulas sin(α) + sin(β) = 2 sin cos
2 2
If x is an angle in degrees and t is an angle in 
α+β
 
α−β

radians then sin(α) − sin(β) = 2 cos sin
2 2
π t πx 180t
= ⇒ t= and x=
   
180 x 180 π α+β α−β
cos(α) + cos(β) = 2 cos cos
2 2
Double Angle Formulas 
α+β
 
α−β

cos(α)−cos(β) = −2 sin sin
sin(2θ) = 2 sin(θ) cos(θ) 2 2
cos(2θ) = cos2 (θ) − sin2 (θ) Cofunction Formulas
π  π 
2
= 2 cos (θ) − 1 sin − θ = cos(θ) cos − θ = sin(θ)
2π  π 2 
= 1 − 2 sin2 (θ) csc − θ = sec(θ) sec − θ = csc(θ)
2 tan(θ)  π2   π2 
tan(2θ) = tan − θ = cot(θ) cot − θ = tan(θ)
1 − tan2 (θ) 2 2

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 Trig Cheat Sheet

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

Example

    √
5π 1 5π 3
cos = sin =−
3 2 3 2

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 Trig Cheat Sheet

Inverse Trig Functions

Definition Inverse Properties
−1 cos cos−1 (x) = x cos−1 (cos(θ)) = θ


y = sin (x) is equivalent to x = sin(y)
sin sin−1 (x) = x sin−1 (sin(θ)) = θ


y = cos−1 (x) is equivalent to x = cos(y)
tan tan−1 (x) = x tan−1 (tan(θ)) = θ


y = tan−1 (x) is equivalent to x = tan(y)

Domain and Range Alternate Notation

Function Domain Range sin−1 (x) = arcsin(x)
π π
y = sin−1 (x) −1 ≤ x ≤ 1 − ≤y≤ cos−1 (x) = arccos(x)
2 2
y = cos−1 (x) −1 ≤ x ≤ 1 0≤y≤π tan−1 (x) = arctan(x)
π π
y = tan−1 (x) −∞ < x < ∞ − <y<
2 2

Law of Sines, Cosines and Tangents

Law of Sines Law of Tangents

sin(α) sin(β) sin(γ) tan 1
− β)


= = a−b 2 (α
a b c = 1


a+b tan 2 (α + β)
Law of Cosines 1


b−c tan 2 (β − γ)
a2 = b2 + c2 − 2bc cos(α) = 1


b+c tan 2 (β + γ)
b2 = a2 + c2 − 2ac cos(β) 1


a−c tan 2 (α − γ)

c2 = a2 + b2 − 2ab cos(γ) = 1
a+c tan 2 (α + γ)

Mollweide’s Formula
cos 12 (α − β)


a+b
=
sin 12 γ


c

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