12

Trigonometry

From its Greek language origin, trigonometry deals with the measure of triangles. It is a very ancient and very important part of Science, with early applications in astronomy and navigation.

12.1

Pythagoras Theorem

This was discovered, we are told, by the Greek, Pythagoras, or one of his philosophical and mathematical disciples in the sixth century B.C., but special cases of it were known many centuries earlier, to the Babylonians, for example. It is possibly the single most important theorem in Mathematics. Over 370 dierent proofs of this famous theorem are currently know. Pythagoras Theorem: In the diagram

hy p

ot

c en us e

c2 = a2 + b2 Pythagoras Theorem

90 (right angle) b

Examples:

5 4

2 1 3

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Exercises 12.1: Find the length of the side of the triangle indicated:

(i)

(ii)
1 21 2 6

? 5

(iii)

(iv)
11 2

? 2 2

(v)
?

(vi)

(vii)

12

(viii)
3 3 7

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12.2

Trigonometrical Ratios

opposite

hy p
O

ot en us H e

A ajacent

Let (Greek theta) be an angle in a right-angled triangle. Represent the hypotenuse of the triangle, and the sides opposite and adjacent to , by H, O, A respectively. Then we dene the following trigonometrical ratios (pronounce sin as sine:

0 opposite side = hypotenuse H adjacent side A the cosine ratio: cos = = hypotenuse H opposite side 0 the tangent ration: tan = = adjacent side A the sine ratio: sin = sin tan = = cos
0 H A H

Thus

0 H 0 = H A A

[A ratio (which can be written as a fraction) compares the sizes of two quantities of the same kind. The trigonometrical ratios compare the lengths (i.e., the number of units of measurement) of two line-segments. Rational numbers (see Topic 3, Section 1) are expressible as ratios. Irrational numbers e.g. 3 (see Topic 9, Section 1) cannot be expressed as ratios of integers.] There exist 3 other trigonometrical ratios which are the reciprocals of these, viz., 1 1 1 = cosec , = sec , = cot , but they dont concern us here. The names sin cos tan of the ratios have long historical associations. It must be emphasized that the opposite side and adjacent side depend on the angle chosen. For example, with and (Greek phi) as shown in the triangle ABC we have

123

B C

AB AC BC cos = AC AB tan = BC sin =

sin =

BC (= cos ) AC AB cos = (= sin ) AC BC tan = (= cot ). AB

Though trigonometry deals with angles > 90 and angles < 0 , we will restrict ourselves to angles for which 0 90 . Examples:

(i)

4 = 0.8 5 3 cos = = 0.6 5 4 tan = = 1.333 . . . 3 sin =

45 2 1

45

(ii)
45 1

1 sin 45 = = 0.7071 . . . 2 1 cos 45 = = 0.7071 . . . 2 = sin 45 1 tan 45 = =1 1

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sin 30 =
30 2 3

30 , 60

sin 60 tan 30

(iii)
60 1

tan 60

1 = 0.5 = cos 60 2 3 = 0.866 = cos 30 = 2 1 = = 0.5774 . . . 3 = 3 = 1.7321 . . .

The trigonometrical ratios of the angles 30 , 45 , 60 are used very often in Mathematics. It is worthwhile remembering them, or at least remembering the triangles from which the ratios may be obtained. Exercises 12.2: Find the sin, cos and tan of the angle marked:

15

(i)
2 2

(ii)
12

(iii)

24

25

(iv)
7

3 3

, are Greek alpha and beta respectively.

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12.3
0

Angles 0 , 90

H A

In the diagram is very small. Imagine to get smaller and smaller so that 0 (opposite side) approaches zero and the hypotenuse (H) approaches the adjacent side (A). Ultimately, sin 0 = 0 cos 0 = 1 tan 0 = 0 90
A H O

In this diagram is large (but < 90 ). Imagine to get closer and closer to 90 so that the opposite side (0) and the hypotenuse (H) become parallel and of nite length. Ultimately, sin 90 = 1 cos 90 = 0 tan 90 = has no meaning = 1 0

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12.4

More Advanced Results (for Reference)

It can be proved that for any angle sin2 + cos2 = 1 sin 2 = 2 sin cos cos 2 = cos2 sin2 is the Greek letter gamma. Exercises 12.3: . . . () . . . ( ) . . . ( )

(i) From the above (a) show that cos 2 = 2 cos2 1 = 1 2 sin2 (b) Find a formula for tan 2 =
sin 2 cos 2

in terms of tan

b (ii) In the gure, sin = a , cos = c . c

Hence prove (). (iii) Show that (a) tan2 + 1 = sec2 (b) 1 + cot2 = cosec2

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Radian measure Usually in higher Mathematics (e.g., in Calculus), is measured in radians rather than degrees (which are likely to be used in practical situations, e.g., in carpentry and surveying). Denition: 2 radians = 360 360 1 radian = 2 180 180 = = 3.14 . . . = 57 (approx.)

r 1 radian r

Thus, in radians we have: 90 =

, 60 = , 45 = , 30 = , 0 = 0. 3 4 6 2 right angle

Exercises 12.4: (i) Express the following angles in radian measure: (a) 180 (b) 18 (c) 36 (d) 135 (e) 150

(ii) Express the following angles in degrees: (a) (b)

10

(c)

(d)

2 3

(e)

12

(radians)

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12.5
12.1: (i) 5

Answers to Exercises
20 = 2 5

(iii) 2 (iv) 2

(v)

(vii) 13 (viii) 6

(ii) 10 12.2:

(vi) 2

(i) = 45 so the answers are in Example (ii) above; (ii) 3 9 = = 0.6, 15 5 9 3 tan = = = 0.75; 12 4 sin = sin = cos = 12 4 = = 0.8, 15 5

(iii)

24 7 = 0.96, cos = = 0.28, 25 25 24 tan = = 3.4285 . . . ; 7 in Example (iii). Therefore the other angles of the right-angled triangle are 30 and 60 . So the trigonometrical ratios are as in Example (iii) where = 60 .

(iv) hypotenuse = 6 so the sides of the triangle are all 3 times the sides of the triangle

12.3: (i) (a) Use results (), ( ); (b) tan 2 = (ii) sin2 + cos2 = a2 b2 a2 + b2 c2 + = = by Pythagoras Theorem (12 Section 1) c2 c2 c2 c2 = 1 (b) Divide () by sin2 .
2 tan 1tan2

from ( ), ( )

(iii) (a) Divide () by cos2 12.4: (i) (a) (ii) (a) 180 (b)
10

(c)

(d)

3 4

(e)

5 6

(b) 18

(c) 22 1 2

(d) 120

(e) 15

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