4.

1 SPECIAL ANGLES

* An angle in standard position: The position of an angle rotating about the origin and its initial
arm is the positive x-axis.

Recall: The equation of a circle with its center at the origin is: x2 + y2 = r 2

• The Unit Circle:

center is at O(0, 0)

radius is 1 unit in length

equation is : x2 + y2 = 1

• Trig Ratios and the Unit Circle:

OP is called the terminal arm, OA is the initial arm

θ is the angle of rotation measured from the initial arm to the terminal arm.

∆ PON is a right triangle
y
P

1 y
P(x, y) θ
r=1 O x N
θ
O N A(1, 0) x opp adj
sin θ = cos θ =
hyp hyp

y x
sin θ = cos θ =
r r
opp
tan θ =
adj y x
sin θ = cos θ =
y 1 1
tan θ =
x
sin θ sin θ = y cos θ = x
∴ tan θ =
cos θ

Therefore, the coordinates of any point (x, y) on a unit circle are related to θ such that

sin θ
(x, y ) = (cos θ , sin θ ) and tan θ =
cos θ
 Example: Determine the coordinates of the point on the unit circle for the following angles in
standard position, to 3 decimal places. Draw the angles in standard position.

a) θ = 40˚ b) θ = 130˚ c) θ = 215˚ d) θ = 340˚

As we rotate around the unit circle, the signs of the different trigonometric ratios change.

• Quadrant I : x is positive and y is positive (x, y)

Cosine is positive
Sine is positive II I
Tan is positive (-x, y) (x, y)
• Quadrant II: x is negative, y is positive (-x, y)
Cosine is negative Sine +’ve All + ‘ve
Sine is positive
Tan is negative
• Quadrant III: x is negative, y is negative (-x, -y)
Cosine is negative
Sine is negative Tan +’ve Cos +’ve
Tan is positive
• Quadrant IV: x is positive, y is negative (x, -y) (-x, -y) (x, -y)
Cosine is positive III IV
Sine is negative
Tan is negative

We can remember the sign of each trigonometric function in each quadrant by using the CAST rule.

C → cosθ θ is positive in the 4th quadrant

A → all trig ratios are positive in the 1st quadrant S A
θ is positive in the 2nd quadrant
S → sinθ
T → tanθθ is positive in the 3rd quadrant
T C

Example: State whether each trig ratio is positive or negative without using a calculator. Then
check with a calculator.

a) sin110° b) cos205° c) tan340° d) cos-22° e) tan79°

The Trigonometric Ratios of 0˚, 90˚, 180˚, 270˚, and 360°°.

Angle 0°°: Angle 90°°: Angle 180°°: Angle 270°°:

sin0° = sin90° = sin180° = sin270° =

cos0° = cos90° = cos180° = cos270° =

tan0° = tan90° = tan180° = tan270° =

P(0,1)

r=1
P(-1, 0) P(1, 0) x

P(0, -1)

Special Angles: 45˚, 30˚ and 60˚

When we use a calculator to determine trigonometric function values, we are approximating up to 9

decimal places. However, for some special angles, exact values can be determined from geometric
relationships.

• A reference angle is the acute angle between the terminal arm and the x-axis.

1) Angle 45°° and its multiples (135˚, 225˚, 315˚)

1
sin45° = 45°
2
2
1
cos45° = 1
2
45°
tan45° = 1
1
 Use the CAST rule to determine the sign of the trigonometric ratio.

Example: Draw each angle in standard position. Determine the EXACT VALUES of the
primary trig ratios for each angle.

a) θ = 135° b) θ = -45° c) θ = 225°

2) Angle 30°° (150˚, 210˚, 330˚) and 60°° (120˚, 240˚, 300˚) and their multiples:

1 3
sin30° = , sin60° =
2 2

60° 2
3 1
cos30° = , cos60° = 1
2 2
30°
3
1
tan30° = , tan60° = 3
3

Examples: Draw each angle in standard position. Determine the EXACT VALUES of the
primary trig ratios for each angle.

a) θ = 150° b) θ = 240° c) θ = -30° d) θ = -300°

 4.2 COTERMINAL ANGLES AND RELATED ANGLES

For any circle, we can determine the trigonometric ratio for θ.

If (x, y) is any point on the terminal arm of a circle, the trig ratios can be determined as follows:
y

y x y 5

sin θ = cos θ = tan θ =

r r x 4

P(x, y)
3
2 2
where r= x +y
2
r
1

θ x

−5 −4 −3 −2 −1 1 2 3 4 5 6

−1

−2

−3

−4

−5

4
Example 1: Given that sin A = and that ∠A lies in the first quadrant,
5
a) Determine the exact values for cosA and tanA.
y

−5 −4 −3 −2 −1 1 2 3 4 5 6

−1

b) Determine the primary trigonometric ratios for another −2

angle between 0˚ and 360˚ that has the same sine value. −3

−4

−5

c) How are the two angles related? Use a calculator to determine the two angles, to the
nearest degree.
 −5
Example 2: Given that cos A = and that ∠A lies in the second quadrant,
13
a) Determine the exact values for sinA and tanA.
y
11

10

1
x

b) Determine the primary trigonometric ratios for another −12 −11 −10 −9 −8 −7 −6 −5 −4 −3 −2 −1
−1
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13

angle between 0˚ and 360˚ that has the same cosine −2

−3

value. −4

−5

−6

−7

−8

−9

−10

−11

−12

c) Use a calculator to determine the two angles between 0° and 360°, to the nearest degree.

5
Example 3: Given that tan A = and that ∠A lies in the first quadrant,
6
a) Determine the exact values for sinA and cosA.
y

−5 −4 −3 −2 −1 1 2 3 4 5 6

b) Determine the primary trigonometric ratios for another −1

angle between 0˚ and 360˚ that has the same tangent −2

value. −3

−4

−5

c) Use a calculator to determine the two angles between 0° and 360°, to the nearest degree.
Example 4: Without using a calculator, determine two angles between 0° and 360° that have a
1 3 1
a) tangent of − b) cosine of − c) sine of
3 2 2

Example 5: The point P(3, -6) is on the terminal arm of ∠A.

a) Determine the primary trigonometric ratios for ∠A.

b) Determine the primary trigonometric ratios for ∠B, such that ∠B has the same cosine as
∠A.

c) Use a calculator and a diagram to determine the measures of ∠A and ∠B, to the nearest
degree.
Direction of Rotation:

When θ > 0°°, the rotation is When θ < 0°°, the rotation is
counterclockwise clockwise.

When P moves around the circle, the motion is repeated after P has rotated 360°. So by adding or
subtracting multiples of 360° to θ, we can determine other angles for which the position of P is the
same.

* Coterminal Angles: Angles in standard position that have the same terminal arm.

To find any coterminal angle to θ:

θ + 360°°n, where n is an integer.

Example 6: For each given angle: a) θ = 45° and b) θ = -120°

(i) Draw the angle θ in standard position.

(ii) Determine two positive angles coterminal with θ.
(iii) Determine two negative angles coterminal with θ.
(iv) Write an expression to represent any angle coterminal with θ.
 4.3 RECIPROCAL TRIGONOMETRIC RATIOS

* Reciprocals: two expressions that have a product of 1. (eg. 4 and ¼, x and 1/x)

* The primary trigonometric ratios have reciprocal ratios.

The reciprocals of sine, cosine and tangent are respectively called the cosecant, secant, and
cotangent and are abbreviated as csc, sec, and cot.

The Reciprocal Trigonometric Ratios :

hypotenuse hypotenuse adjacent

For any right triangle, csc θ = sec θ = cot θ =
opposite adjacent opposite
1 1 1
csc θ = sec θ = cot θ =
sin θ cos θ tan θ
A

opp hyp

θ
C B
adj

1 −1
* To use our calculators with the reciprocal trig ratios, we must use the reciprocal key, or x
x
along with the sine, cosine, and tangent keys.

Examples:

1. Determine the following trig ratios to 3 decimal places.

a) csc36° b) sec80° c) cot52°

2. Each angle is in the first quadrant. Determine the angle measure. Round answers to the
nearest degree.

a) cscθ = 2.564 b) secθ = 3.723 c) cotθ = 1.149

3. Calculate the 6 trig ratios for θ = 29° , to 3 decimal places.

4. Write the 6 trig ratios for ∠B.

A
8cm 17cm

C 15cm B

5. The point P(-5, -6) lies on the terminal arm of θ in standard position.

a) Determine exact expressions for cscθ, secθ, and cotθ.

b) Determine the measure of θ, to the nearest degree.

7
6. Angle θ is in the 4th quadrant and tan θ = − .
3
a) Find the other 5 trig ratios, to 3 decimal places.

b) Determine the smallest positive value of θ to the nearest degree.

7. Solve for both values of θ between 0° and 360°. Round to the nearest degree.

a) cscθ = 2.053 b) secθ = 1.491 c) cotθ = 0.882

d) cscθ = -1.564 e) secθ = -3.976 f) cotθ = -3.157

8. Solve for all angles between 0° and 360° for the following reciprocal trigonometric ratios.
Use a unit circle to help you.
1
a) cscθ = 2 b) secθ = − 2 c) cotθ = −
3

d) cscθ = undefined e) secθ = -1

9. Determine the EXACT VALUES for the following reciprocal trigonometric ratios.

a) csc120° b) cot225° c) csc405°