Pre-Calculus

4-3 Right Triangle

Trigonometry
1
 The six trigonometric functions of a right triangle,
with an acute angle , are defined by ratios of two sides
of the triangle.
hyp
opp

The sides of the right triangle are: θ

adj
 the side opposite the acute angle ,

 the side adjacent to the acute angle ,

 and the hypotenuse of the right triangle.

2
 hyp
The trigonometric functions are opp
θ
adj
sine, cosine, tangent, cotangent, secant, and cosecant.
opp
sin  = cos  = adj tan  = opp
hyp hyp adj

3
 Draw a 30-60-90 triangle using a protractor,
you can choose your own value of x.

sin(30) sin(60)
cos(30) cos(60)
tan(30) tan(60)
4
 Draw a 45-45-90 triangle using a protractor
(or properties of isosceles triangles), you can
choose your own value of x.

sin(45)
cos(45)
tan(45)
Repeat for at least one additional value of x for each triangle. Then
determine the relationships between the sides using the x as a 5

variable to represent any length.

Special Right Triangles

6
Some basic trig values
Sine Cosine Tangent

300 1 3 3
2 2 3
/6
450 2 2
2 2 1
/4
600 3 1 3
2 2
/3

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 hyp
The trigonometric functions are opp
θ
adj
sine, cosine, tangent, cotangent, secant, and cosecant.
opp
sin  = cos  = adj tan  = opp
hyp hyp adj
hyp hyp
csc  = sec  = cot  = adj
opp adj opp

Note: sine and cosecant are reciprocals, cosine and secant are reciprocals,
and tangent and cotangent are reciprocals.
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Reciprocal Functions
Another way to look at it…

sin  = 1/csc  csc  = 1/sin 

cos  = 1/sec  sec  = 1/cos 
tan  = 1/cot  cot  = 1/tan 

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Given 2 sides of a right triangle you should be
able to find the value of all 6 trigonometric
functions.
Example:

12

5

10
Calculate the trigonometric functions for  .
Calculate the trigonometric functions for .
5 
The six trig ratios are 4
4 3
sin  =
5
sin α = 
5
3 4 3
cos  = cos α =
5 5
4 3 What is the
tan  = tan α =
3 4 relationship of
3
cot  = 4 α and θ?
4 cot α =
3
5 5 They are
sec  = sec α =
3 4 complementary
5 5 (α = 90 – θ)
csc  = csc α =
4 3
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Cofunctions

sin  = cos (90  ) cos  = sin (90  )

sin  = cos (π/2  ) cos  = sin (π/2  )

tan  = cot (90  ) cot  = tan (90  )

tan  = cot (π/2  ) cot  = tan (π/2  )

sec  = csc (90  ) csc  = sec (90  )

sec  = csc (π/2  ) csc  = sec (π/2  )

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Trigonometric Identities are trigonometric
equations that hold for all values of the variables.

We will learn many Trigonometric Identities and use

them to simplify and solve problems.

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 Quotient Identities hyp
opp
θ
adj
opp
sin  = opp cos  = adj tan  =
hyp hyp adj
opp
sin  hyp opp hyp opp
     tan 
cos  adj hyp adj adj
hyp

The same argument can be made for cot… since it is the cos 
reciprocal function of tan. cot  
sin 
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Quotient Identities

sin 
tan  
cos 

Important Question:

Why do mathematicians never go the beach?

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Pythagorean Identities
Three additional identities that we will use are
those related to the Pythagorean Theorem:
Pythagorean Identities

Hmm, what equations 1

y = sin
can i create?

1
x = cos  16
Pythagorean Identities
Three additional identities that we will use are
those related to the Pythagorean Theorem:
Pythagorean Identities
sin2  + cos2  = 1
tan2  + 1 = sec2 
cot2  + 1 = csc2 

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IDENTITIES WE HAVE
REVIEWED SO FAR…

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 Fundamental Trigonometric Identities
Reciprocal Identities
sin  = 1/csc  cos  = 1/sec  tan  = 1/cot 
cot  = 1/tan  sec  = 1/cos  csc  = 1/sin 
Co function Identities
sin  = cos(90  ) cos  = sin(90  )
sin  = cos (π/2  ) cos  = sin (π/2  )
tan  = cot(90  ) cot  = tan(90  )
tan  = cot (π/2  ) cot  = tan (π/2  )
sec  = csc(90  ) csc  = sec(90  )
sec  = csc (π/2  ) csc  = sec (π/2  )

Quotient Identities
tan  = sin  /cos  cot  = cos  /sin 
Pythagorean Identities
sin2  + cos2  = 1 tan2  + 1 = sec2  cot2  + 1 = csc2  19
Example: Given sec  = 4, find the values of the
other five trigonometric functions of  .
Draw a right triangle with an angle  such
hyp 4 4 15
that 4 = sec  = = .
adj 1
θ
Use the Pythagorean Theorem to solve
1
for the third side of the triangle.
15 1 4
sin  = csc  = =
4 sin  15
1 1
cos  = sec  = =4
4 cos
15 1
tan  = = 15 cot  =
1 15
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Applications Involving Right
Triangles
The angle you are given is
the angle of elevation,
which represents the
angle from the horizontal
upward to an object.

For objects that lie below

the horizontal, it is
common to use the term
angle of depression.
Using Trigonometry to Solve a Right
Triangle

A surveyor is standing 115 feet from the base of the

Washington Monument. The surveyor measures the
angle of elevation to the top of the monument as 78.3.
How tall is the Washington Monument?

Figure 4.33
Solution

where x = 115 and y is the height of the

monument. So, the height of the Washington
Monument is
y = x tan 78.3

 115(4.82882)  555 feet.

How DMS (degrees, minutes
and seconds) work

3600
24
Convert 27 15' 32.4" to decimal
degrees
15 32.4
27    27.259
60 3600

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Or you can use a calculator
Convert 27 15' 32.4" to decimal
degrees
 Hit 2nd apps (angle) to find your homepage for
DMS
 Use Alpha/Plus (Quote) for the seconds
symbol

Convert 27.259 to DMS 26

H Dub
 4-3 Page 308 #9-25odd, 29-42all, 43-57odd, 63,
66-68

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 Find x and y

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 Find x and y

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What if the hypotenuse was 1?
 Find x and y

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Stuff we went over in 4.2

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Some old geometry favorites…
Let’s look at the trigonometric functions of a few
familiar triangles…

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Geometry of the 45-45-90 triangle

Consider an isosceles right triangle with two sides of

length 1.

2 45
1 12  12  2
45
1

The Pythagorean Theorem implies that the hypotenuse

is of length 2 .
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Calculate the trigonometric functions for a 45 angle.

2
1
45
1
opp 1 2 adj 1 2
sin 45 = = = cos 45 = = =
hyp 2 2 hyp 2 2

opp 1 adj 1
tan 45 = = = 1 cot 45 = = = 1
adj 1 opp 1
hyp 2 2 hyp 2
sec 45 = = = csc 45 = = = 2
adj 1 opp 1
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Geometry of the 30-60-90 triangle
Consider an equilateral triangle with
each side of length 2. 30○ 30○

The three sides are equal, so the

2 2
angles are equal; each is 60. 3

The perpendicular bisector

of the base bisects the 60○ 60○

opposite angle. 1 1
2
Use the Pythagorean Theorem to
find the length of the altitude, 3 .
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Calculate the trigonometric functions for a 30 angle.

2 1

30
3
opp 1 adj 3
sin 30 = = cos 30 = =
hyp 2 hyp 2

opp 1 3 adj 3
tan 30 = = = cot 30 = = = 3
adj 3 3 opp 1

hyp 2 2 3 hyp 2
sec 30 = = = csc 30 = = = 2
adj 3 3 opp 1
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 Note sin  = cos(90  ), for 0 <  < 90

Note that  and 90  are complementary

angles.
hyp
Side a is opposite θ and also 90○– θ a
adjacent to 90○– θ . θ
b
a a
sin  = and cos (90  ) = .
b b
So, sin  = cos (90  ).
Note : These functions of the complements are called cofunctions.
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Calculate the trigonometric functions for a 60 angle.

2
3

60○

1
opp 3 adj 1
sin 60 = = cos 60 = =
hyp 2 hyp 2

opp 3 adj 1 3
tan 60 = = = 3 cot 60 = = =
adj 1 opp 3 3
hyp 2 hyp 2 2 3
sec 60 = = = 2 csc 60 = = =
adj 1 opp 3 3
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