The relationship between side lengths and angles of triangles

BASIC RATIOS

opposite
sinθ =
hypotenuse

adjacent
cosθ =
hypotenuse

opposite
tanθ =
adjacent

FINDING SIDES
C In terms of the given angle:

Want Have

Opp Hyp

opposite
sin63° =
hypotenuse
A AB
B sin63° =
6.2
sin63° × 6.2 = AB

AB= 5,5cm

FINDING ANGLES
In terms of the unknown angle:

Want Have

θ Adj, hyp

adjacent
cosθ =
hypotenuse
6
θ cosθ =
10
6
θ = cos-1 ( )
10

θ = 53,1°

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 SPECIAL ANGLES

RECIPROCAL RATIOS

1 hypotenuse
cosecθ = =
sinθ opposite

1 hypotenuse
secθ = =
cosθ adjacent

1 adjacent
cotθ = =
tanθ opposite

TRIG EQUATIONS
1. Isolate ratio
2. Use [shift][ratio] on calculator
3. Follow equation laws

1 3sinθ =2 2 cos(30° + θ) = 0,8 3 cotθ = 5

1
2 30° + θ = cos-1 (0,8) tanθ =
sinθ = 5
3

-1 2 θ = cos-1 (0,8) - 30° θ = tan-1 (

1
)
θ = sin ( ) 5
3
θ = 6,9°
θ = 11,3°
θ = 41,8°

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 TRIG IN THE CARTESIAN PLANE

y
sinθ =
r
x
cosθ =
r
y
tanθ =
x
r is always +

1. Tick the quadrant in which the statement applies.

2. 1 quadrant will have 2 ticks.
3. Draw an arm in that quadrant.
4. Label your angle.
5. Drop a perpendicular line to the x axis.
6. Use Pythagoras to find the unknown side.
7. Answer the question

1 If 5sinθ - 4 = 0 and 90° ≤ θ ≤ 180° determine:

5sinθ - 4 = 0 90° ≤ θ ≤ 180°

✓ ✓ 4
a) cosθ ✓ sinθ =
5
is Q2

-3 Sin is + is Q1 and Q2
=
5

b) cos2θ + sin2 θ
2 2
-3 4
= ( ) +( )
5 5

9 16
= +
25 25 x2 +y2 =r2 (Pyth)

=1 2 2
x2 +4 =5

x2 = 9

=1 x= ± 3

x=-3

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 REDUCTION RATIOS

• x
• 180° - x • 360° + x
• 90 + x • 90 - x

• 180° + x • -x
• 270 - x • 360° - x
• 270 + x

1. Determine which quadrant we are in.

Angle is in Q3 where
2. Use CAST to decide if the ratio will be + or –
cos is negative
E.g cos(180° + x)
= -cos(x)

NB For angles involving 90° & 270°, sin →cos and cos →sin.
Eg. sin(90° + x)
Angle is in Q2 where
= cos(x)
sin is positive

TRIG IDENTITIES

sinx
tanx=
cosx

sin2 θ = 1 - cos2θ
2 2
sin θ + cos θ = 1 cos2 θ = 1 - sin2θ

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 GENERAL SOLUTIONS

180° - Ref Ang Ref Ang

180° + Ref Ang 360° - Ref Ang

1. Find reference angle.

2. Find second angle based on based on CAST.
3. For tan, add + 180°n, n ∈ Z.
4. For sin & cos, add + 360°n, n ∈ Z.

TYPE 1: Number on 1 side

E.g. sinθ = 0,325 [shift][sin][0,325]

R.A = 18,97°

θ= 18,97° + 360°n, n ∈ Z or θ= 180° - 18,97° + 360°n, n ∈ Z

θ = 161,03° + 360°n, n ∈ Z

TYPE 2: Same angles, different ratios

E.g. sinθ = 3cosθ
÷ cos to
tanθ = 3 get tan

R.A= 71,57°

θ= 71,57° + 180°n, n ∈ Z or θ= 180° + 71,57° + 180°n, n ∈ Z

θ = 251,57° + 180°n, n ∈ Z

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TYPE 3: Different angles, co-functions
E.g. sinθ = cosx

sinθ = sin(90° - x)

R.A= 90° - x

θ= 90° - x + 360°n, n ∈ Z or θ= 180° - (90° - x) + 360°n, n ∈ Z

θ = 90° + x + 360°n, n ∈ Z

TYPE 4: Same function, same angle

E.g. cosθ = cos(θ+40°)

R.A= (θ+40°)

θ= θ+40° + 360°n, n ∈ Z or θ= 360° - (θ + 40° ) + 360°n, n ∈ Z

0 = 40° + 360°n, n ∈ Z 2θ = 320° + 360°n, n ∈ Z (÷2)

∴ not applicable θ = 160° + 180°n, n ∈ Z

TYPE 5: Use identities & factorise

E.g. cos2θ + 3sinθ = 0

2(1 - sin2θ) + 3sinθ = 0

2 - 2sin2θ + 3sinθ = 0 (÷-2)

2sin2θ - 3sinθ -2 = 0

(2sinθ + 1)(sinθ - 2) = 0

∴sinθ = -
1
or sinθ = 2 N.A
2

R.A = 30°

θ= 180° + 30° + 360°n, n ∈ Z or θ= 360° - 30° + 360°n, n ∈ Z

0 = 210° + 360°n, n ∈ Z θ = 330° + 360°n, n ∈ Z

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 SIMPLIFYING RATIOS WITHOUT A CALC

1. Always draw your cast diagram to identify which quadrant the angle is
in.
2. Decide whether to use 180° + x, 180° - x, 360° + x, 360° - x
3. x must be an acute angle

Hints: *You can add/subtract 360° without showing calculations.

*Use your special triangles.

*Don’t forget reciprocals.

2
cos420°.tan (-60°) tan(180°- x).cos(360° - x)
1 sin(-120°).cos150°
2 cosecx.cos(90°-x)

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 DRAWING DIAGRAMS

1. Draw cartesian plane.

2. Draw angle in correct quadrant.
3. Hypotenuse is always 1.
4. Use Pythagoras to find unknown side.

1 Given cos336° = t, find the values of:

a) sin66°
b) sin204°
c) tan(-246°)

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 PROVING IDENTITIES
sinx
tanx=
cosx
1. Must prove that LHS = RHS
sin2 θ + cos2θ = 1
2. May need to factorise
3. Make the denominator = 0 to decide when identity is undefined.

N.B Get creative!

1 Prove sin4θ - cos4 θ= 2sin2θ -1

1 - cos2 x - 4sinx
2 sinxcosx - 4cosx
= tanx

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 SIN, COS, AREA RULES
*used for non right-angled triangles

Sin Rule
sin sinB
̂ sinĈ
= =
a b c
a b c
= =
̂
sinA ̂
sinB ̂
sinC

Cos Rule
2
a2 =b + c2 -2bccosA
̂

Area Rule
1 ̂
Area = absinC
2

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 COMPOUND ANGLE IDENTITES
cos(A+B)= cosAcosB – sinAsinB sin(A+B)= sinAcosB + cosAsinB

cos(A–B)= cosAcosB + sinAsinB sin(A–B)= sinAcosB - cosAsinB

1 sin75° 2 cos15°

DOUBLE ANGLE IDENTITIES

sin2𝜶 = 2sin𝜶cos𝜶 cos2𝜶 = cos2 𝜶 – sin2 𝜶

= 2cos2 𝜶 – 1

= 1 - 2sin2𝜶

cos2x-1
1 sin2xsinx 2 4sinxcosxcos2x

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