Topic 7 - Trigonometry
Topic 7 - Trigonometry
Topic 7 - Trigonometry
TRIGONOMETRY
Introduction to trigonometry
Trigonometry
Trigonometry is the branch of mathematics that deals with the measurement of sides and angles
of triangles, and their relationship with each other. There are many applications in engineering
where knowledge of trigonometry is needed.
b) From above:
In Figure on the right hand side, ABC is an equilateral triangle of side 2 units. AD bisects angle A
and bisects the side BC. Using Pythagoras’ theorem on triangle ABD gives:
A quantity that is not exactly expressible as a rational number is called a surd. For example, √2
and √3 are called surds because they cannot be expressed as a fraction and the decimal part may
be continued indefinitely. For example,
√2 = 1.4142135 . . . and √3 = 1.7320508 . . .
From above:
sin 30˚ = cos 60˚, sin 45˚ = cos 45˚ and sin 60˚ = cos 30˚.
Exercise:
a) 3 sin 30˚ −2 cos 60˚ [1/2]
𝟕
b) 5 tan 60˚ −3 sin 60˚ [ 𝟑 ]
𝟐
To ‘solve a right-angled triangle’ means ‘to find the unknown sides and angles’. This is achieved
by using (i) the theorem of Pythagoras, and/or (ii) trigonometric ratios.
Problem: In triangle PQR shown in Fig, find the lengths of PQ and PR.
a) If, in Figure shown, BC represents horizontal ground and AB a vertical flagpole, then the
angle of elevation of the top of the flagpole, A, from the point C is the angle that the
imaginary straight line AC must be raised (or elevated) from the horizontal CB, i.e. angle
θ.
b) If, in Fig. 22.20, PQ represents a vertical cliff and R a ship at sea, then the angle of
depression of the ship from point P is the angle through which the imaginary straight
line PR must be lowered (or depressed) from the horizontal to the ship, i.e.angle φ.
Problem. An electricity pylon stands on horizontal ground. At a point 80 m from the base
of the pylon, the angle of elevation of the top of the pylon is 23˚. Calculate the height of the
pylon to the nearest metre.
Exercise: A surveyor measures the angle of elevation of the top of a perpendicular building
as 19˚. He move 120 m nearer the building and finds the angle of elevation is now 47˚.
Determine the height of the building.
Exercise:
1) If the angle of elevation of the top of a vertical 30 m high aerial is 32˚, how far is it to the
aerial? [48m]
2) From the top of a vertical cliff 80.0m high the angles of depression of two buoys lying
due west of the cliff are 23˚ and 15˚, respectively. How far are the buoys apart? [110.1m]
A trigonometric identity is a relationship that is true for all values of the unknown variable.
Applying Pythagoras’ theorem to the right-angled triangle shown in Fig. below gives:
Problem 2.
Problem 4. Solve the trigonometric equation: 5 sin θ +3=0 for values of θ from 0˚ to 360˚.
For a non-right-angled triangle, trigonometric ratios and Pythagoras’ theorem cannot be used.
Instead, two rules, called the sine rule and cosine rule, are used.
Sine rule
Cosine rule
LECTURER: RAJEEV.K.PIYARE 1
January 1,
EEE501-ENGINEERING MATHEMATICS I TRIGONOMETRY
2011
Problem 1. In a triangle XYZ, ∠X =51◦, ∠Y =67◦ and YZ =15.2 cm. Solve the triangle and
find its area.
The triangle XYZ is shown. Since the angles in a triangle add up to 180˚, then z =180˚ −51˚ −67˚
=62˚.
Note: It is always worth checking with triangle problems that the longest side is opposite
the largest angle, and vice-versa. In this problem, Y is the largest angle and XZ is the
longest of the three sides.
Exercise. Solve the triangle PQR and find its area given that QR=36.5 mm, PR=26.6mm
and ∠Q=36◦
LECTURER: RAJEEV.K.PIYARE 2
January 1,
EEE501-ENGINEERING MATHEMATICS I TRIGONOMETRY
2011
Problem 2. Solve triangle DEF and find its area given that EF =35.0 mm, DE =25.0mm and
∠E =64˚
LECTURER: RAJEEV.K.PIYARE 3
January 1,
EEE501-ENGINEERING MATHEMATICS I TRIGONOMETRY
2011
Exercise. A triangle ABC has sides a=9.0 cm, b=7.5 cm and c=6.5 cm. Determine its three
angles and its area
LECTURER: RAJEEV.K.PIYARE 4
January 1,
EEE501-ENGINEERING MATHEMATICS I TRIGONOMETRY
2011
Exercise. Solve triangle XYZ, shown in Fig. 25.8, and find its area given that Y =128◦, XY
=7.2 cm and YZ =4.5 cm
LECTURER: RAJEEV.K.PIYARE 5
January 1,
EEE501-ENGINEERING MATHEMATICS I TRIGONOMETRY
2011
LECTURER: RAJEEV.K.PIYARE 6
EEE501-ENGINEERING MATHEMATICS I
2011
TRIGONOMETRY
There are two ways in which the position of a point in a plane can be represented. These are
(a) By Cartesian co-ordinates, i.e. (x, y), and
(b) By polar co-ordinates, i.e. (r, θ), where r is a ‘radius’ from a fixed point and θ is an angle
from a fixed point.
If lengths x and y are known, then the length of r can be obtained from Pythagoras’ theorem
since OPQ is a right-angled triangle.
The angle θ, which may be expressed in degrees or radians, must always be measured from
the positive x-axis
From Pythagoras’ theorem, r =5 (note that −5 has no meaning in this context). By trigonometric
ratios, θ = tan−1 (4/ 3) =53.13◦ or 0.927 rad.
Hence (3, 4) in Cartesian co-ordinates corresponds to (5, 53.13˚) or (5, 0.927 rad) in polar
co-ordinates.
LECTURER: RAJEEV.K.PIYARE 1
EEE501-ENGINEERING MATHEMATICS I
2011
TRIGONOMETRY
Hence the position of point P in polar co-ordinate form is (5, 143.13◦) or (5, 2.498 rad).
Exercise.
[(−5, −12) in Cartesian co-ordinates corresponds to (13, 247.38◦) or (13, 4.318 rad) in
polar co-ordinates]
[(2, −5) in Cartesian co-ordinates corresponds to (5.385, 291.80◦) or (5.385, 5.093 rad)
in polar co-ordinates]
If length r and angle θ are known then x = r cos θ and y = r sin θ are the two formulae we need to
change from polar to Cartesian co-ordinates.
LECTURER: RAJEEV.K.PIYARE 2
EEE501-ENGINEERING MATHEMATICS I
2011
TRIGONOMETRY
Hence (4, 32◦) in polar co-ordinates corresponds to (3.39, 2.12) in Cartesian co-ordinates.
Thus (6, 137˚) in polar co-ordinates corresponds to (−4.388, 4.092) in Cartesian co-
ordinates.
Thus (1.948, −4.057) in Cartesian co-ordinates corresponds to (4.5, 5.16 rad) in polar co-
ordinates.
LECTURER: RAJEEV.K.PIYARE 3
EEE501-ENGINEERING MATHEMATICS I TRIGONOMETRY 2011
Trigonometric waveforms
Graphs of trigonometric functions
In the first quadrant of Fig. 23.1 all of the curves have positive values; in the second only sine is
positive; in the third only tangent is positive; in the fourth only cosine is positive.
LECTURER: RAJEEV.K.PIYARE 1
EEE501-ENGINEERING MATHEMATICS I TRIGONOMETRY 2011
Problem. Solve the equation cos−1 (−0.2348) =α for angles of α between 0◦ and 360˚
Cosine is positive in the first and fourth quadrants and thus negative in the second and third
quadrants.
Angle θ = cos−1 (0.2348) = 76.42˚
Measured from 0˚, the two angles whose cosine is −0.2348 are α =180˚ −76.42˚ i.e. 103.58˚ and
α =180˚ +76.42˚, i.e. 256.42˚
Exercise: Determine all of the angles between 0˚ and 360˚ whose sine is:
(a) 0.6792 (b) −0.1483
LECTURER: RAJEEV.K.PIYARE 2
EEE501-ENGINEERING MATHEMATICS I TRIGONOMETRY 2011
I. y = sin A repeat themselves every 360˚ (or 2π radians); thus 360˚ is called the period of
these waveforms y =sin 2A repeat themselves every 180˚ (or π radians); thus 180˚ is the
period of these waveforms.
II. In general, if y = sin pA or y = cos pA (where p is a constant) then the period of the
waveform is 360˚/p (or 2π/p rad). Hence if y=sin 3A then the period is 360/3, i.e. 120˚ ,
and if y=cos 4A then the period is 360/4, i.e. 90˚.
Amplitude
Amplitude is the name given to the maximum or peak value of a sine wave.
If y = 5 cos 2A, the amplitude is 5 and the period is 360˚/2, i.e. 180˚.
LECTURER: RAJEEV.K.PIYARE 3
EEE501-ENGINEERING MATHEMATICS I TRIGONOMETRY 2011
I. A sine or cosine curve may not always start at 0˚. To show this a periodic function is
represented by y = sin (A±α) or y = cos (A±α) where α is a phase displacement compared
with y=sin A or y=cos A.
II. If y = sin A is assumed to start at 0˚, then y = sin (A−60˚) starts 60˚ later (i.e. has a zero
value 60˚ later). Thus y = sin (A−60◦) is said to lag y = sin A by 60˚.
LECTURER: RAJEEV.K.PIYARE 4
EEE501-ENGINEERING MATHEMATICS I TRIGONOMETRY 2011
In general, y = sin (pt −α) lags y = sin pt by α/p, hence 7 sin (2A−π/3) lags 7 sin 2A by (π/3)/2,
i.e. π/6 rad or 30˚.
Exercise: State the amplitude and period of the waveform and sketch the curve between 0˚
and 360˚.
a) y = cos 3A
b) y = 3 sin 4t
c) y = 6 sin (t −45˚)
Problem. An alternating current is given by i=30 sin (100πt +0.27) amperes. Find the
amplitude, periodic time, frequency and phase angle.
Amplitude = 30A.
LECTURER: RAJEEV.K.PIYARE 5
EEE501-ENGINEERING MATHEMATICS I TRIGONOMETRY 2011
0.90
Hence, 0.90 = 2.5 sin (0 + α), i.e. sin α = = 0.36
2.5
Exercise: The instantaneous value of voltage in an a.c. circuit at any time t seconds is given
by v=340 sin (50πt −0.541) volts.
Determine the:
a) amplitude, periodic time, frequency and phase angle (in degrees)
b) value of the voltage when t =0
c) value of the voltage when t =10 ms
d) time when the voltage first reaches 200V, and
e) time when the voltage is a maximum
f) Sketch one cycle of the waveform
LECTURER: RAJEEV.K.PIYARE 6