1

A-Level Trigonometry
By: Mr. A. Maxwell

Popular Right Angled Triangles

What are the values for these trigonometric functions considering the right
angled triangles above:
o
sin 30 =
1 o
sin 45 =
√2 o
sin 60 =
√3
2 2 2

cos 30 o= √ cos 45o= √

3 2 o 1
cos 60 =
2 2 2

o
tan 30 =
√3 tan 45 =1
o
tan 60 =√ 3
o

The above values are expected to be known. If you have trouble the triangles
above will help you to remember.
New Trig ratios
1
csc θ=
sin θ sin θ
“Cosecant”
1
sec θ=
cos θ cos θ
“Secant”
1
cot θ=
tanθ tan θ
“Cotangent”
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A-Level Trigonometry
By: Mr. A. Maxwell

It is also true that:

sin θ cos θ
tanθ= cot θ=
cos θ sinθ

It is known that:
opp opp
sin θ= tanθ=
hyp adj
adj
cos θ=
hyp

By considering the ratios above show that:

sin θ
tan θ=
cos θ

Proof:

sin θ
=
( hyp )
opp

cos θ
( hyp
adj
)
¿(
hyp )( adj )
opp hyp

opp
¿
adj
¿ tan θ

Now if:
sin θ
tan θ=
cos θ
cos θ
Then show that: cot θ= sinθ

Proof:
1
cot θ=
tan θ
1
¿
( sin θ
cos θ )
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A-Level Trigonometry
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1 cos θ
¿ ×
1 sin θ
cos θ
¿
sin θ

A Confusing Notation
For all the trig identities (using sine as an example):
( sin θ )n =sinn θ

For example:
( cos θ )3=cos 3 θ

NOTE!!!!
Take special care with the power of −1
( cos θ )−1 ≠ cos−1 θ

This is because the notation is reserved for inverses. This is why in most cases
the new trig functions introduced above are used instead:
( cos θ )−1=sec θ

Also since we are on the topic of confusing notations:

Cosecant is sometimes abbreviated as:
csc θ∨cosec θ

Our First Trig Identity

Consider the triangle:

c
h

h
sin θ=
b c
c ×sin θ=h …(i)
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A-Level Trigonometry
By: Mr. A. Maxwell

b
cos θ=
c
c ×cos θ=b … (ii)

Also from Pythagoras’ theorem:

2 2 2
h +b =c

Substituting (i) and (ii) we get:

( c sin θ )2+ ( c cos θ )2=c 2
2 2 2 2 2
c sin θ+ c cos θ=c

c ( sin θ +cos θ ) =c
2 2 2 2

Divide both sides by c 2

sin 2 θ+cos 2 θ=1 …(1)

The most popular trig identity. No trig class is complete without him. Commit
him to memory.
New Identities formed from (1)
From sin2 θ+cos 2 θ=1 we can get other identities by transposition.
Making cos 2 θ the subject:
2 2
cos θ=1−sin θ

Making sin2 θ the subject:

sin 2 θ=1−cos 2 θ

Dividing through by cos 2 θ :

2 2
tan θ+1=sec θ …(2)

Dividing through by sin2 θ:

1+cot 2 θ=csc 2 θ … (3)
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A-Level Trigonometry
By: Mr. A. Maxwell

This section is all about proving identities so let’s get some practice by proving
(2) and (3)
Using (1) show that:
2 2
tan θ+1=sec θ

Proof:
sin2 θ+cos 2 θ=1

Divide both sides by cos 2 θ :

sin 2 θ cos 2 θ 1
2
+ 2
= 2
cos θ cos θ cos θ
2 2
sin θ cos θ 1
2
+ 2
= 2
cos θ cos θ cos θ
1
Things cancel and remember sec θ= cos θ

tan 2 θ+1=sec 2 θ …(2)

Using (1) show that:

2 2
1+cot θ=csc θ

Proof:
2 2
sin θ+cos θ=1

Divide both sides by sin 2 θ:

2 2
sin θ cos θ 1
2
+ 2 = 2
sin θ sin θ sin θ

2 2
sin θ cos θ 1
2
+ 2 = 2
sin θ sin θ sin θ
1
Things cancel and remember csc θ= sin θ

1+cot 2 θ=csc 2 θ … (3)

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A-Level Trigonometry
By: Mr. A. Maxwell

Our “First” Proof:

With what we know now we can do something “useful” by proving trig
identities. Now there are a few things to note when proving a trig identity:
1. Only work with one side and get it to look like the other
 Working both sides like an equation implies that the expression is
true. Your job is to prove that it is true. You should not prove
something already assuming it is true. (generally speaking)

2. Numbered identities are assumed to be known and need not be

proven again
 You do not need to reproduce the proofs for any identity numbered
on the paper. They are given and already assumed true. Use them
as tools and treat them as if they are general knowledge (even
though the knowledge may not seem so… general)

3. There are many ways to prove an identity

 There are many avenues you can take to prove an identity. No one
way is absolutely correct, some are faster some are shorter. Try and
discover alternate paths yourself.

4. Start with the more complicated side first

 The more complex the side the more avenues you have to work
with. Once you take your time and keep doing the correct
substitutions you will eventually get there.

5. We cannot explore every trick or example under the sun

 As previously said there is no right way or wrong way to work a
trig problem and all the tricks that can be used will not be
exhausted. More practice makes you faster and makes things seem
easier.
 7
A-Level Trigonometry
By: Mr. A. Maxwell

With that said let us prove the identity:

2 2 2 2
cot θ−tan θ ≡cs c θ−sec θ

I will work from the left hand side:

L . H . S=¿

cot 2 θ−tan 2 θ=¿

Remember (tan2 θ+1=sec 2 θ) and (1+cot 2 θ=csc 2 θ) transpose and make

cot θ and tan θ the subject in each:
2 2

( csc 2 θ−1 )−( sec2 θ−1 )=¿

Expand brackets:
csc 2 θ−1−sec 2 θ+1=¿
csc 2 θ−1−sec 2 θ+1=¿
2 2
csc θ−sec θ=¿
R. H. S

Great!! That was easy.

 8
A-Level Trigonometry
By: Mr. A. Maxwell

Compound Angle Formulas:

E
D

A
F B

Now let’s take a look at the compound angle formulas and derive them
^ D=α .
geometrically. First let’s clarify why angle E C
^ B=90o−α
Angle A C

(due to angles in a triangle summing to 180o .)

^ D=180 o−90 o− A C
Angle E C ^B
o o o
¿ 180 −90 −90 + α
¿α

(due to angles on a straight line)

Everything else labelled on the diagram is a given.
Let us prove the sine identity using the diagram above.
Note that ( α + β )=Angle E ^A F
EF
sin(α + β )=
AE

However:
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A-Level Trigonometry
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EF =BC +CD
EF =sin α × AC + cos α ×CE

Since:
BC CD
sin α= and cos α =
AC CE

Recall:
EF
sin(α + β )=
AE
(sin α × AC +cos α × CE)
sin( α + β )=
AE

(
sin(α + β )= sin α ×
AC
AE
+ cos α ×
CE
AE )
But:
CE AC
sin β= and cos β =
AE AE

Therefore:
sin(α + β )=sin α cos β+ sin β cos α …(1)

For cosine:
AF
cos ( α + β )=
AE

Now:
AF= AB−FB
AB=cos α × AC

And:
FB=ED

So:
FB=sin α ×CE

That means:
AF=cos α × AC −sin α × CE
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A-Level Trigonometry
By: Mr. A. Maxwell

Recall:
AF
cos ( α + β )=
AE
cos α × AC−sin α × CE
cos ( α + β )=
AE
AC CE
cos ( α + β )=cos α × −sin α ×
AE AE

But:
CE AC
sin β= and cos β =
AE AE

Therefore:
cos ( α + β )=cos α cos β−sin α sin β …(2)

Awesome let’s change those alphas and betas into something a little more
familiar:
sin( A +B)=sin A cos B+ sin B cos A …(1)
cos ( A+ B ) =cos A cos B−sin A sin B …(2)

The proof provided does not satisfy non-complementary angles for A and B . For
now we will just trust that they work for angles ≥ 90o .
By letting α + β= A and β=B or we can assume (1) and (2) holds for negative
values and use the fact that sine is an odd function and cosine is an even
function:
sin( A−B)=sin A cos B−sin B cos A …(3)
cos ( A−B )=cos A cos B+ sin A sin B …( 4)

sin θ
Now remember that tan θ= cos θ

Therefore:
sin ( A+ B )
tan ( A+ B ) =
cos ( A +B )
sin A cos B+ sin B cos A
tan ( A+ B ) =
cos A cos B−sin A sin B
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A-Level Trigonometry
By: Mr. A. Maxwell

Now divide the numerator and denominator by cos A cos B

sin A cos B sin B cos A
+
cos A cos B cos A cos B
tan ( A+ B ) =
cos A cos B sin A sin B
−
cos A cos B cos A cos B
sin A sin B
+
cos A cos B
tan ( A+ B ) =
sin A sin B
1−
cos A cos B
tan A +tan B
tan ( A+ B ) = … (5)
1−tan A tan B

A similar process can be done to show

tan A−tan B
tan ( A−B )= … (6)
1+tan A tan B

Double Angle Formulas:

Using (1) it is easy to see that:
sin 2 A=sin ( A+ A )
sin 2 A=sin A cos A+ sin A cos A
sin 2 A=2 sin A cos A …(6)

Also:
cos 2 A=cos ( A + A )
cos 2 A=cos A cos A−sin A sin A
2 2
cos 2 A=cos A−sin A …(7)

tan 2 A=tan ( A+ A )
tan A +tan A
tan 2 A=
1−tan A tan A
2 tan A
tan 2 A= 2
… (8)
1−tan A
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A-Level Trigonometry
By: Mr. A. Maxwell

However recall that:

2 2 2 2
cos A=1−sin A and sin A=1−cos A

So from (7):
cos ( 2 A )=(1−sin2 A)−sin2 A

cos ( 2 A )=1−2 sin 2 A … (9)

Also:
cos ( 2 A )=cos2 A−( 1−cos 2 A )

cos ( 2 A )=2cos 2 A−1 …(10)

Product to Sum and Sum to Product Formulas:

Now these formulas are especially useful when solving for angles in a trig
equation. It is useful to know the whenever you see two trig functions of the
same ratio being added or subtracted you can turn them into a product.
For example:
sin 3 θ+sin θ sin 3 θ−sinθ
cos 4 θ+cos 2θ cos 5 θ−cos 3 θ

Recall that:
sin( A +B)=sin A cos B+ sin B cos A …(1)
sin( A−B)=sin A cos B−sin B cos A …(3)

Then:
sin( A +B)−sin ( A−B )=(sin A cos B+sin B cos A)−(sin A cos B−sin B cos A)
sin( A +B)−sin ( A−B )=sin A cos B+sin B cos A−sin A cos B+ sin B cos A
sin( A +B)−sin ( A−B )=sin A cos B+sin B cos A−sin A cos B+ sin B cos A
sin( A +B)−sin ( A−B )=sin B cos A+sin B cos A
sin( A +B)−sin ( A−B )=2 sin B cos A …(11)

Similarly it can be shown that:

sin( A +B)+sin ( A−B )=2 sin A cos B … (12)
cos (A + B)−cos ( A−B )=−2 sin A sin B …( 13)
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A-Level Trigonometry
By: Mr. A. Maxwell

cos (A + B)+ cos ( A−B ) =2cos A cos B … (14)

However it is unusual to see sine and cosine written out as sin( A +B) etc. So (11)
to (14) are more popularly written as:
Let:
A+ B=P and A−B=Q
⟹
P+Q=2 A and P−Q=2 B
P−Q P+Q
sin( P)−sin ( Q ) =2 sin cos …(11)
2 2
P+Q P−Q
sin(P)+sin ( Q )=2 sin cos … (12)
2 2
P+Q P−Q
cos (P)−cos ( Q )=−2sin sin … (13)
2 2
P+ Q P−Q
cos (P)+ cos ( Q )=2 cos cos …(14)
2 2

Let’s work an example to see why this is important:

Solve for x :
sin x +sin 3 x =0 for 0≤ x ≤ 2 π

Let P=x and Q=3 x then :

sin x +sin 3 x =0

Using (12) the question becomes:

x +3 x x−3 x
2 sin cos =0
2 2
4x −2 x
2 sin cos =0
2 2
2 sin 2 x cos−x=0

Divide both sides by 2:

(sin 2 x)(cos−x )=0

So two things are being multiplied to give zero that means either:
sin 2 x=0 or cos−x =0
o o o o o o o
2 x=0 , 180 , 360 ,540 ,720 −x=90 ,270
o o o o o o o
x=0 ,90 ,180 , 270 , 360 x=−90 ,−270
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A-Level Trigonometry
By: Mr. A. Maxwell

x=270 o , 90 o

Therefore:
o o o o o
x=0 ,90 ,180 , 270 and 360

Using calculators

Half-Angle Formulas:
Consider formulas (6) through to (8)
Let:
2 A=α
α
A=
2
sin 2 A=2 sin A cos A …(6)
α α
sin α =2 sin cos
2 2
2 α
However this form is ugly. To pretty him up lets divide by cos 2 in the
numerator and the denominator (1 in this case):

sin α=
[ (2 sin α2 cos α2 )
cos ( )
α
2
2
]
[ ( )]
1
2 α
cos
2

1
Recall that sec θ= cos θ
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A-Level Trigonometry
By: Mr. A. Maxwell

sin α=
[ (2 sin α2 cos α2 )
cos ( )
2α
2
]
[ sec
2 α
2 ]

[ ]
α
2sin
2
α
cos
2
sin α=
α
[sec 2 ]
2
sin θ 2 2
Recall that tan θ= cos θ and sec θ=1+ tan θ

α
2 tan
2
sin α =
α
1+ tan 2
2
α
Finally let tan 2 =t :

α α 2t
sin α=2 sin cos = … (15)
2 2 1+t 2

Using a similar method it can be shown that:

2 α 2 α 1−t 2
cos α=cos −sin = …(16)
2 2 1+t 2
α
2 tan
2 2t
tan α= = … (17)
α 1−t 2
1−tan 2
2

SUMMARY

Famous Angles:
 16
A-Level Trigonometry
By: Mr. A. Maxwell

sin 45 o= √ sin 60o = √

o 1 2 3
o
sin 0 =0 sin 30 = o
sin 90 =1
2 2 2

o
cos 0 =1
o
cos 30 =
√3 o
cos 45 =
√2 cos 60 o=
1 o
cos 90 =0
2 2 2

tan 30 o= √
3
tan60 =√ 3
o o o o
tan0 =0 tan 45 =1 tan 90 =undefined
3

New Trig ratios

1
csc θ=
sin θ sin θ
“Cosecant”

1
sec θ=
cos θ cos θ
“Secant”

1
cot θ=
tanθ tan θ
“Cotangent”

sin θ
tan θ
cos θ
 17
A-Level Trigonometry
By: Mr. A. Maxwell

The First Identity:

(1 2 2
sin θ+cos θ=1 See page 3
)
(2 2
tan 2 θ+1=sec 2 θ ÷ ( 1 ) by cos θ
)
(3 2 2 2
1+cot θ=csc θ ÷ ( 1 ) by sin θ
)
(4
sin 2 θ=1−cos 2 θ Transpose (1)
)
(5
) cos 2 θ=1−sin 2 θ Transpose (1)

Compound Angle Formulas:

(1) sin( A +B)=sin A cos B+ sin B cos A See page 8-10
(2) cos ( A+ B ) =cos A cos B−sin A sin B See page 8-10
From (1) sine is odd and
(3) sin( A−B)=sin A cos B−sin B cos A
cosine is even
From (2) sine is odd and
(4) cos ( A−B )=cos A cos B+ sin A sin B
cosine is even
tan A +tan B Write as (1)/(2)
(5) tan ( A+ B ) = Divide num and denom by
1−tan A tan B
cos A cos B
tan A−tan B Write as (3)/(4)
(6) tan ( A−B )= Divide num and denom by
1+tan A tan B
cos A cos B

Double Angle Formulas:

Write as sin( A + A )
(1) sin 2 A=2 sin A cos A Use compound angle
formula (1)
Write as cos (A + A)
2 2
(2) cos 2 A=cos A−sin A Use compound angle
formula (2)
2 tan A Write as tan(A + A)
(3) tan 2 A= 2 Use compound angle
1−tan A formula (3)
From (2)
2
(4) cos ( 2 A )=1−2 sin A Express cosine as sine using
“First Identity” (5)
From (2)
(5) cos ( 2 A )=2cos 2 A−1 Express sine as cosine using
“First Identity” (4)
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A-Level Trigonometry
By: Mr. A. Maxwell

Sum to Product Formulas:

Let:
A+ B=P and A−B=Q
⟹
P+Q=2 A and P−Q=2 B
Use “Compound Angle” (1)
P−Q P+Q and (3)
(1) sin(P)−sin ( Q ) =2 sin cos
2 2 Subtract (3) from (1)
Substitute for P and Q
Use “Compound Angle” (1)
P+Q P−Q and (3)
(2) sin(P)+sin ( Q )=2 sin cos
2 2 Add (3) and (1)
Substitute for P and Q
Use “Compound Angle” (2)
P+Q P−Q and (4)
(3) cos ( P)−cos ( Q )=−2sin sin
2 2 Subtract (4) from (2)
Substitute for P and Q
Use “Compound Angle” (2)
P+ Q P−Q and (4)
(4) cos ( P)+ cos ( Q )=2 cos cos
2 2 Add (2) and (4)
Substitute for P and Q

Half-Angle Formulas:
Let:
α
tan =t
2
From Double Angle (1)
α α Let 2 A=α
sin α=2 sin cos
2 2 2α
Divide by cos in num and denom
(1) or 2
2t Use “First Identity” (2) to sub in denom
sin α =
1+ t
2 α
Sub tan for t
2
From Double Angle (2)
2α 2 α Let 2 A=α
cos α=cos −sin
2 2 2α
or Divide by cos in num and denom
(2) 2
2
1−t Use “First Identity” (2) to sub in denom
cos α=
1+t
2 α
Sub tan for t
2
(3) α α
2 tan Sub tan for t
2 2
tan α=
α
1−tan 2
2
or
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A-Level Trigonometry
By: Mr. A. Maxwell

2t
tan α= 2
1−t
Yet there is still more to be done
To be continued…