Lesson 1: The Six Trigonometric Ratios: sine, cosine, tangent, secant, cosecant, and cotangent

In a right triangle, the six trigonometric ratios can be defined. Consider the right triangle ABC below. In
this triangle B represent the 𝜽. Then the leg denoted by a is the side adjacent to 𝜽, and the leg
denoted by b is the side opposite to 𝜽.

hypotenuse
opposite b c
𝜽

C a B
adjacent

𝒐𝒑𝒑𝒐𝒔𝒊𝒕𝒆 𝒉𝒚𝒑𝒐𝒕𝒆𝒏𝒖𝒔𝒆
sin of 𝜽 = sin 𝜽 = cosecant of 𝜽 = csc 𝜽 =
𝒉𝒚𝒑𝒐𝒕𝒆𝒏𝒖𝒔𝒆 𝒐𝒑𝒑𝒐𝒔𝒊𝒕𝒆

𝒂𝒅𝒋𝒂𝒄𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒉𝒚𝒑𝒐𝒕𝒆𝒏𝒖𝒔𝒆
cosine of 𝜽 = cos 𝜽 = secant of 𝜽 = sec 𝜽 =
𝒉𝒚𝒑𝒐𝒕𝒆𝒏𝒖𝒔𝒆 𝒂𝒅𝒋𝒂𝒄𝒆𝒏𝒕

𝒐𝒑𝒑𝒐𝒔𝒊𝒕𝒆 𝒂𝒅𝒋𝒂𝒄𝒆𝒏𝒕
tangent of 𝜽 = tan 𝜽 = cotangent of 𝜽 = cot 𝜽 =
𝒂𝒅𝒋𝒂𝒄𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒐𝒑𝒑𝒐𝒔𝒊𝒕𝒆

SOH – CAH – TOA is a mnemonic used for remembering the equations.

Showing a formula for the Missing Parts of a Right Triangle
Example 1: Determine the equation or formula to find a missing part of the triangle.
T s P

p t = 12

S
a. Solve for s in figure 1. b. Solve for p in figure 1.
Solution: P is an acute angle, t is the Solution: P is an acute angle, t is the hypotenuse,
hypotenuse, s is the side adjacent to and p is the opposite side of P.
P. Use SOH, that is
Use CAH, that is
𝒂𝒅𝒋𝒂𝒄𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒐𝒑𝒑𝒐𝒔𝒊𝒕𝒆
cos 𝜽 = sin 𝜽 =
𝒉𝒚𝒑𝒐𝒕𝒆𝒏𝒖𝒔𝒆 𝒉𝒚𝒑𝒐𝒕𝒆𝒏𝒖𝒔𝒆

𝒔 𝒑
cos P = sin P =
𝒕 𝒕

𝒔 𝒑
cos 530 = sin 530 =
𝟏𝟐 𝟏𝟐

s = 12 cos 530 p = 12 sin 530

 B

a c

C b = 10.6 A
c. Solve for a in figure 2. d. Solve for c in figure 2.
Solution: B is an acute angle, b Solution: B is an acute angle, b is the opposite
b is the opposite side and a is the side and c is the hypotenuse of the given acute
side adjacent to B. angle.
Use TOA, that is Use SOH, that is

𝒐𝒑𝒑𝒐𝒔𝒊𝒕𝒆 𝒐𝒑𝒑𝒐𝒔𝒊𝒕𝒆
tan 𝜽 = sin 𝜽 =
𝒂𝒅𝒋𝒂𝒄𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒉𝒚𝒑𝒐𝒕𝒆𝒏𝒖𝒔𝒆

𝒃 𝒃
tan B = sin B =
𝒂 𝒄

𝟏𝟎.𝟔 𝟏𝟎𝟎
tan 670 = sin 670 =
𝒂 𝒄

𝟏𝟎.𝟔 𝟏𝟎.𝟔
a= c=
𝒕𝒂𝒏 𝟔𝟕 𝒔𝒊𝒏 𝟔𝟕