LESSON 6-5 BASIC TRIGONOMETRY

OVERVIEW
This section reviews some basic trigonometric facts and
relationships that you need to know for the new SAT. The Greek
letter θ (theta) is sometimes used to represent the unknown measure
of an angle.

MEASURING ANGLES IN RADIANS

Degrees are a measure of rotation where 1° = th of a complete rotation.
A radian is a unit of angle measure that express the measure of an angle as
a real number. One radian is the measure of a central angle of a circle that
intercepts an arc whose length is the same as a radius of that circle. In
Figure 6.23, central angle θ intercepts an arc that is 6π inches in length in a
circle whose radius measures 12 inches. The measure of angle θ, in radians,
is radians.

Figure 6.23 Radian measure: θ =

In general, θ = or s = r·θ where s represents the length of the arc

intercepted by a central angle that measures θ radians in a circle with radius
r.
 MATH REFERENCE FACT
The number of radians of arc in a semicircle is π and the number of
radians of arc in a circle is 2π.

Converting Between Radians and Degrees

Since the degree measure of arc of a circle is 360°,

TIP
Memorize the radian equivalents of 30°, 45°, and 90°:

This relationship provides a way of converting between radian and degree

measures:

■ To change from degrees to radians, multiply the number of degrees by

. For example,

■ To change from radians to degrees, multiply the number of radians by

. For example,
If you memorize the radian equivalents of 30°, 45°, and 90°, then you can
use these values to quickly figure out the radian equivalents of their
multiples. For example,

TIP
Angles measured in radians are not always expressed in terms of π. An angle of 2
radians measures ≈ 114.6°.

RIGHT TRIANGLE TRIGONOMETRY

The three basic trigonometric functions of sine, cosine, and tangent are
defined in Table 6.3.

Table 6.3 The Three Basic Trigonometric Functions

Cofunction Relationships
Two angles are complementary if their measures add up to .
The sine and cosine functions have equal values when their angles are
complementary. For example, sin 50° = cos 40° and
. In general,

■ If x is an acute angle measured in degrees, then

sin x = cos (90 − x) or, equivalently, cos x = sin (90 − x)

■ If x is an acute angle measured in radians, then

INDIRECT MEASUREMENT
Trigonometric functions are particularly useful when it is necessary to
calculate the measure of a side or an angle of a right triangle that may be
difficult, if not impossible, to measure directly.

Example

To determine the distance across a river, as shown in the figure above, a

surveyor marked two points on one riverbank, H and F, 65 meters apart.
She also marked one point, K, on the opposite bank such that KH ⊥ HF. If
∠K = 54° and x is the width of the river, which of the following equations

could be used to find x?

Solution
Represent the width of the river, KH, by x.
Because the problem involves the sides opposite and adjacent to the
given angle, use the tangent ratio:

Since this is not one of the answer choices, consider the other acute angle of
the right triangle at F, which measures 90° − 54° = 36°:

The correct choice is (C).

ANGLES IN STANDARD POSITION

Trigonometric functions of angles greater than radians (= 90°) or less than
0 radians (= 0°) can be given meaning by placing angles in standard
position in the xy-plane. An angle is in standard position when its vertex is
at the origin in the xy-plane and one of its sides, called the initial side,
remains fixed on the x-axis. The side of the angle that rotates about the
origin is called the terminal side of the angle.
 ■ If the terminal side of an angle rotates in a counterclockwise direction,
as shown in Figure 6.24a, the angle is positive.
■ If the terminal side of an angle rotates in a clockwise direction, as
shown in Figure 6.24b, the angle is negative.

Figure 6.24a Positive angle

Figure 6.24b Negative angle

DEFINING TRIGONOMETRIC FUNCTIONS USING

COORDINATES
If P(x, y) is any point on the terminal side of an angle in standard position
and r is the distance of point P from the origin, then trigonometric functions
can be defined in terms of x, y, and r as shown in Table 6.5. If a
perpendicular is drawn from P(x, y) to the x-axis, a right triangle is formed
in which x, y, and r are related by the Pythagorean equation x2 + y2 = r2.
 TIP
If P(x, y) is a point on the terminal side of an angle θ in standard position, then the x-
coordinate of point P is rcos θ and the y-coordinate is rsin θ where r, the distance from
the origin to point P, is

Table 6.5 Coordinate Definitions of the Basic Trigonometric Functions

SIGNS OF TRIGONOMETRIC FUNCTIONS IN THE FOUR

QUADRANTS
The signs of trigonometric functions of angle θ depend on the signs of x and
y in the particular quadrant in which the terminal side of θ lies, as shown in
Table 6.6. For example, in Quadrant II, x < 0 and y > 0 so
Quadrant I is the only quadrant in which all of the trigonometric functions
are positive at the same time.

TIP
The first letter of each word of the phrase “All Students Take Calculus” can help you
remember the quadrants in which a trigonometric function is positive.
 Table 6.6 Quadrants in Which Trigonometric Functions Are Positive

Example
If P(−3, 4) is a point on the terminal side of angle θ, what is the value of cos
θ?

Solution
Since x = −3 and y = +4, the terminal side of the angle θ lies in Quadrant II:

■ The lengths of the sides of the right triangle form a 3-4-5 Pythagorean
triple so r = 5.
 ■ Use the coordinate definition of cosine:

The correct choice is (B).

Example

In the xy-plane above, O is the center of the circle, and the measure of angle
θ is kπ radians. If 0 ≤ θ ≤ 2π, what is the value of k ?

Solution
Since (−1, −1) = (x, y), so AOC is a 45°-45° right triangle with m∠AOC
= 45. Hence, θ measures 225° or, equivalently, π radians.

Grid-in 5/4
Angles Greater Than 2π Radians
An angle of 410° exceeds one complete rotation by 410° − 360° = 50° so its
terminal side will lie in Quadrant I and form an angle of 50° with the
positive x-axis. A trigonometric function of an angle greater than 2π radians
or less than 0 radians can be written as the same function of an angle
between 0 and 2π radians by subtracting or adding a multiple of 2π:

“Reducing” Angles of Trigonometric Functions

The reference angle, denoted by θ′, is the acute angle formed by the
terminal side of the angle in standard position and the x-axis as illustrated in
Figure 6.25.
 Figure 6.25 Reference angle θ′ in the four quadrants
The trigonometric function of any angle θ can be expressed as either plus or
minus the same trigonometric function of its reference angle. To express
cos 135° as a function of its reference angle,
 ■ Locate the reference angle, θ′, as shown in the accompanying figure,
and find its measure:

θ′ = 180 − 135 = 45

■ Determine the sign of the cosine function in the quadrant in which θ′

is located. Since cosine is negative in Quadrant II,

cos 135° = −cos 45°

Similarly, because sine is positive in Quadrant II while tangent is negative,

sin 135° = sin 45° and tan 135° = −tan 45°

You should draw your own diagram and confirm that

■ sin 310° = −sin 50°

■ cos 670° = cos (670 − 360)° = cos 50°
■ tan 880° = tan (880 − 720)° = −tan 20°

■ sin (−140°) = sin 220° = −sin 40°

■
 LESSON 6-5 TUNE-UP EXERCISES

Multiple-Choice

1. If in the figure above = 1, then x =

(A) 6
(B) 26
(C) 29
(D) 59
2. By law, a wheelchair service ramp may be inclined no more than
4.76°. If the base of a ramp begins 15 feet from the base of a public
building, which equation could be used to determine the maximum
height, h, of the ramp where it reaches the building’s entrance?

3. What is the number of radians through which the minute hand of a

clock turns in 24 minutes?
(A) 0.2π
(B) 0.4π
(C) 0.6π
(D) 0.8π
4. If x = 1.75 radians, then the value of cos x is closest in value to which
of the following?
 (A) −cos 1.39
(B) cos 4.89
(C) cos 4.53
(D) −cos 0.18

5. If = cos x, then x =

6. The bottom of a pendulum traces an arc 3 feet in length when the

pendulum swings through an angle of radian. What is the number of
feet in the length of the pendulum?
(A) 1.5
(B) 6
(C)
(D) 6π
7. What is the radian measure of the smaller angle formed by the hands
of a clock at 7 o’clock?

8. A wheel has a radius of 18 inches. The distance, in inches, the wheel

travels when it rotates through an angle of radians is closest to
which value?
 (A) 45
(B) 23
(C) 13
(D) 11
9. A wedge-shaped piece is cut from a circular pizza. The radius of the
pizza is 14 inches and the angle of the pointed end of the pizza
measures 0.35 radians. The number of inches in the length of the
rounded edge of the crust is closest to which value?
(A) 4.0
(B) 4.9
(C) 5.7
(D) 7.5
I. x = y
II. 2(x + y) = π
III. cos x = sin y
10. If , and sin x = cos y, then which of the statements above must
be true?
(A) I and II only
(B) II and III only
(C) II only
(D) III only

11. If cos θ = – and tan θ is negative, the value of sin θ is

12. If cos A = and ∠A is not in Quadrant I, what is the value of sin A?

(A) –0.6
 (B) –0.2
(C) 0.6
(D) 0.75
13. If sin A = b, what is the value of the product sin A · cos A · tan A in
terms of b?
(A) 1
(B)
(C) b
(D) b2
14. The equatorial diameter of the earth is approximately 8,000 miles. A
communications satellite makes a circular orbit around the earth at a
distance of 1,600 miles from the earth. If the satellite completes one
orbit every 5 hours, how many miles does the satellite travel in 1 hour?
(A) 1,120π
(B) 1,940π
(C) 2,240π
(D) 2,560π
15. A rod 6 inches long is pivoted at one end. If the free end of the rod
rotates in a machine at the rate of 165 revolutions per minute, what is
the total distance, in inches, traveled by the end of the rod in one
second?
(A) 14.5π
(B) 16.5π
(C) 29π
(D) 33π

Grid-In
1. In the figure above, what is the value of sin A − cos A?

2. A lawn sprinkler sprays water in a circular pattern at a distance of 15

feet from the sprinkler head which rotates through an angle of
radians, as shown by the shaded area in the diagram above. What is the
area of the lawn, to the nearest square foot, that receives water from
this sprinkler?

Note: Figure not drawn to scale.

3. In the figure above, angles ACB and DEB are right angles, AC = 15,
CE = 12, and DE = 10. What is the value of cos x?
For Questions 4 and 5 refer to the diagram.
 A flagpole that stands on level ground. Two cables, r and s, are
attached to the pole at a point 12 feet above the ground and form a right
angle with each other. Cable r is attached to the ground at a point that
makes tan x = 0.75.
4. What is the value of cos x?
5. What is the sum of the lengths of cables r and s?