The Six Trigonometric Ratios

OBJECTIVES

1. Define the six trigonometric ratios.

2. Evaluate the six trigonometric ratios for a given right triangle.
3. Use trigonometric ratios to find the measure of an acute angle or the length of side
of a right triangle.
4. Solve problems involving trigonometric ratios.
 DEFINITION:

For a right triangle with an acute angle  and whose sides are denoted
as opposite, adjacent, and hypotenuse, the Trigonometric Ratios are the
ratios of the lengths of the sides.
Definition:
The sine of an angle  is the ratio of the lengths of
the opposite side relative to  and the hypotenuse.
It is denoted by sin  = opposite side
hypotenuse

The cosine of an angle  is the ratio of the lengths

of the adjacent side relative to  and the
hypotenuse.
It is denoted by cos  = adjacent side
hypotenuse

The tangent of an angle  is the ratio of the lengths

of the opposite side and the adjacent side relative
to .
It is denoted by tan  = opposite side
adjacent side
The cosecant of an angle  is the ratio of the
lengths of the hypotenuse and the opposite side
relative to .
It is denoted by csc  = hypotenuse
opposite side
and is equivalent to 1
sin 

The secant of an angle  is the ratio of the lengths of the hypotenuse

and the adjacent side relative to .
It is denoted by sec  = hypotenuse and is equivalent to 1
adjacent side cos 

The cotangent of an angle  is the ratio of the lengths of the adjacent

side and the opposite side relative to .
It is denoted by cot  = adjacent side and is equivalent to 1
opposite side tan 
EXAMPLE 1.

1
1. Find the values of the six trigonometric ratios
for the angle .

Answer:
hypotenuse, c = 17
sin  = 15/17
cos  = 8/17
tan  = 15/8
csc  = 17/15
sec  = 17/8
cot  = 8/15
EXERCISES 1:

Find the values of the six trigonometric ratios for

the angle .

1. 2.
EXAMPLE 2. Solve for x using trigonometric ratios.

Answer:
a. Find a trigonometric ratio that involves 7 and x. In this case, cosine ratio.
cos 40 = 7
x
Solution: x = 7 = 9.14 (Use your calculator to compute this value)
cos 40
Answer:
a. Use the tangent ratio because you know the length of the adjacent
and the opposite sides.
tan x = 10
8
Solution: tan x = 1.25
x = tan -1 1.25
x = 51.34
EXERCISES 2:
Solve for x using trigonometric ratios.

3. 4.
EXERCISES 3:

Use trigonometric ratios to solve each problem. You may draw the diagram to help
you solve each problem.

5. Alyssa is standing 5 meters away from a flagpole. If the pole is 10 meters high, what angle does
the tip of the pole make with the ground at the spot where Alyssa is standing?

6. A 6-meter ladder is leaning against a wall. If a ladder makes an angle of 40 with the ground, how
far is the base of the ladder from the wall?

7. Rico is flying a kite using a 20 meter string. If the string is stretched out and the kite makes an
angle of 75 with the horizontal, and Rico’s height is 1.8 meters, how high is the kite from the
ground?
End