Digital Lesson

Right Triangle
Trigonometry
 The six trigonometric functions of a right triangle, with an acute
angle , are defined by ratios of two sides of the triangle.
The sides of the right triangle are:
hyp
 the side opposite the acute angle , opp
 the side adjacent to the acute angle , θ
 and the hypotenuse of the right triangle. adj

The trigonometric functions are

sine, cosine, tangent, cotangent, secant, and cosecant.
opp
sin  = cos  = adj tan  = opp
hyp hyp adj
hyp
csc  = sec  = hyp cot  = adj
opp adj opp
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 Calculate the trigonometric functions for  .

5
4

3
The six trig ratios are
4 3
sin  = cos  =
5 5
4 3
tan  = cot  =
3 4
5 5
sec  = csc  =
3 4

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 Geometry of the 45-45-90 triangle

Consider an isosceles right triangle with two sides of

length 1.

45
2 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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 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 1 3
tan 60 = = = 3 cot 60 = adj = =
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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 Trigonometric Identities are trigonometric
equations that hold for all values of the variables.

Example: 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
sin  = a and cos (90  ) = a .
b b
So, sin  = cos (90  ).
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 Fundamental Trigonometric Identities for 0 <  < 90.
Cofunction Identities
sin  = cos(90  ) cos  = sin(90  )
tan  = cot(90  ) cot  = tan(90  )
sec  = csc(90  ) csc  = sec(90  )
Reciprocal Identities
sin  = 1/csc  cos  = 1/sec  tan  = 1/cot 
cot  = 1/tan  sec  = 1/cos  csc  = 1/sin 
Quotient Identities
tan  = sin  /cos  cot  = cos  /sin 
Pythagorean Identities
sin2  + cos2  = 1 tan2  + 1 = sec2  cot2  + 1 = csc2 
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 Example:
Given sin  = 0.25, find cos , tan , and sec .
Draw a right triangle with acute angle , hypotenuse of length
one, and opposite side of length 0.25.

Use the Pythagorean Theorem to solve for

the third side. 1
0.25
cos  = 0.25 = 0.9682 θ
0.9682 0.9682
tan  = 0.9682 = 0.258
1
sec  = 1 = 1.033
0.9682

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 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.

sin  = 15 csc  = 1 = 4
4 sin  15
1
cos  = 1 sec  = =4
4 cos 
1
tan  = 15 = 15 cot  =
1 15
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 Example:
Given sin  = 0.25, find cos , tan , and sec .
Draw a right triangle with acute angle , hypotenuse of length
one, and opposite side of length 0.25.

Use the Pythagorean Theorem to solve for

the third side. 1
0.25
cos  = 0.25 = 0.9682 θ
0.9682 0.9682
tan  = 0.9682 = 0.258
1
sec  = 1 = 1.033
0.9682

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