UNIT 5.

CIRCULAR AND INVERSE CIRCULAR FUNCTIONS

Definition.

Consider a right triangle and an acute angle α of the triangle.

length of side opposite α

sin α =
length of the hypotenuse
length of side adjacent to α
cos α =
length of the hypotenuse
length of side opposite α
tan α =
length of the side adjacent to α

REMEMBER: SOHCAHTOA

Trigonometric function values of 30°, 60° and 45° (complete the table)

30° 45° 60°

sin θ
cos θ
tan θ

The Radian Measure

Conversion:

π
Degrees to Radians: θ in degrees x
180
180
Radians to Degrees: θ in radians x
π

DEFINITION OF THE CIRCULAR FUNCTIONS

The Wrapping Function

Consider the unit circle U = {( x , y ) x 2

}
+ y2 = 1 .

Let θ be a real number which represents a length of an arc along U with the initial point
at ( 1, 0 ) and Q the terminal point of the arc of length θ .
 Thus, for each real number θ , it is possible to associate a unique point Q which satisfies
the construction above.

Definition of the℘ -function (cursive P).

℘: R → U
θ a Q where Q is the terminal point of the arc of
length θ along U with initial point at ( 1, 0 )

π π π π
℘ -function Values of Multiples of , , and within [ 0 , 2π )
6 4 3 2

℘ π  = ( 0 ,1 )
 2 
 3   3 
℘ 2 π  =  − 1 ,  ℘ π  =  1 , 
 3   2 2  3 2 2 
   
℘ 3 π  =  − 2 , 2  ℘ π  =  2 , 2 
  
4 2 2    
4 2 2 
3π 5π
 3 1
( ) (
℘ 56π = − 2
3
, 12 ) ℘ π  =  , 
   2 2
6
5 π , − 7π

℘( π ) = ( − 1, 0 ) ℘( 0 ) = ( 1 , 0 )

   3 
℘ 7 π  =  − ℘ 11π  = 
3
,− 1 ,− 1
  
6 2 2   6   2 2 
 
℘ 5 π  =  − 2 , − 2   
℘ 7 π  =  2 , − 2 
  
4 2 2   4   2 2 
 3 
℘ 4 π  =  − 1 , −  
℘ 5 π  =  1 , −
3 
 3   2 2  
  
3 2 2 
℘ 3π  = ( 0 , − 1 )
 2 
Exercises: Evaluate either of the following:

1.

℘ − 17π

  7π 
 4  6. ℘ 
 
 2 
 
2. ℘ 46π  7. ℘
 17π 
 3  
 4 
3. ℘( − 9π )
 28π 
8. ℘ 
 3 
4. ℘( 12π )
 −2π 
9. ℘ 
 15π   3 
5. ℘   −5π 
 2  10. ℘ 
 6 

The Circular Functions

Definitions

Let θ ∈ R . Suppose that ℘( θ ) = ( x , y ) (Of course, x 2 + y 2 = 1)

1
Then, cosθ = x sec θ =
x
1
sin θ = y csc θ =
y
y x
tan θ = cot θ =
x y

Domain Range
cos R [ − 1, 1 ]
sin R [ − 1, 1 ]
R −  k is an odd Z 
kπ
tan R
 2 

R −  k is an odd Z 
kπ
sec ( − ∞ , − 1 ] ∪ [1 , + ∞ )
 2 
csc R − {kπ k is an Z } ( − ∞ , − 1 ] ∪ [1, + ∞ )
cot R − {k π k is an Z } R
Circular Function Values
π    3  π
Consider θ= . To evaluate ℘ π  =  1 ,  and sin , we consider the
3  3   2 2  3

   1 3 
℘ π  =  2 , 2  .
3   
Solution:
π3  
sin , which is the x coordinate of ℘ π 
=
3 2 3
π 3  
sin = which is the y coordinate of ℘ π 
3 2 3

Exercise.
π π π π
Give exercises of the following type. Use multiples of , , and . Include negative
6 4 3 2
values of θ .

Complete the table given below.

θ sin θ cos θ tan θ csc θ sec θ cot θ

7π
2
2π
−
3
15π
4
11π
−
6
8π

Remarks: sin( − θ ) = − sin θ while cos( − θ ) = cosθ

IDENTITIES INVOLVING CIRCULAR FUNCTION VALUES

The Fundamental Identities

Double measure Identities
sinθ ⋅ cscθ = 1 sinθ ≠ 0
cosθ ⋅ sec θ = 1 cosθ ≠ 0 sin 2α = 2 sin α cos α
tan θ ⋅ cot θ = 1 tan θ ≠ 0 cos 2α = cos 2 α − sin 2 α
sinθ
tan θ = cosθ ≠ 0 cos 2α = 2 cos2 α − 1
cosθ
cosθ cos 2α = 1 − 2 sin 2 α
cot θ = sinθ ≠ 0 2 tan α
sinθ tan 2α =
sin 2 θ + cos 2 θ = 1 1 − tan 2 α

sec 2 θ − tan 2 θ = 1
Half-measure Identities
csc 2 θ − cot 2 θ = 1
1 − cos θ
Sum and Difference Identities sin 2 θ =
2 2
sin( α + β ) = sin α cos β + cos α sin β
1 + cos θ
sin( α − β ) = sin α cos β − cos α sin β cos 2 θ =
2 2
cos( α + β ) = cos α cos β − sin α sin β
cos( α − β ) = cos α cos β + sin α sin β 1 − cos θ
tan α + tan β tan 2 θ =
2 1 + cos θ
tan( α + β ) =
1 − tan α tan β
tan α − tan β
tan( α − β ) =
1 + tan α tan β

1 − cos θ
Remark: sin θ = ±
2 2
1 + cos θ
cos θ = ±
2 2
1 − cos θ
tan θ = ±
2 1 + cos θ

1 − cos θ
By rationalizing the denominator or the numerator of ,
1 + cos θ

sin θ 1 − cos θ
tan θ = tan θ =
2 1 + cos θ 2 sin θ
Exercises:

12
1. Given tan θ = and sin θ < 0 . Determine sin θ and cosθ .
5

2. If cot θ = − 12 , sec θ < 0 , determine

5

a. sin θ + π 
 4 
b. cos − θ 
2 π
 3 
c. tan ( θ − π )

3. If cot θ = − 12 , sec θ < 0 , determine

5

a. sin θ + π 
 4 
b. cos − θ 
2π
 3 
c. tan ( θ − π )
4. **Determine if each of the following is an identity or not. Justify.
1 + tan 2 θ
a. = cos 2θ
1 − 2 tan 2 θ
b. cos4 θ − sin 4 θ = cos 2θ
c. sec2 θ cot 2 θ = 1 + cot 2 θ
d.
e. (sin 2 θ − 1)(tan 2 θ + 1) = csc2 θ − cot 2 θ

2
5. If sec α = 3 where π < α < 2π , and tan β = and ℘( β ) ∈ QI , find
3
a. sin(α + β ) , cos(α + β ) , sec(α + β )
b. Quadrant containing ℘(α + β )
c. sin(α − β ) , cos(α − β ) , tan(α − β )
d. Quadrant containing ℘(α − β )
e. tan(2α − β )
 6. Use the sum and difference identities to evaluate
exactly.
 7π  π 
a. sin   c. tan  
 12   12 
π   −5π 
b. cos   d. csc  
 12   12 

7. Prove the Identity.

 3π 
a. sin  x −  = cos x
 2 
 π  1 + tan x
b. tan  x +  =
 4  1 − tan x
sin ( A + B ) tan A + tan B
c. =
cos ( A − B ) 1 + tan A tan B
cos x + cos x cos 2 x
d. cos3 x =
2
cos x sin x
e. = tan 2 x
1
cos 2 x
2
2
f. ( sin x + cos x ) = 1 + sin 2 x
1 + tan y sec y
g. =
1 + cot y csc y

**To prove that an equation is not an identity, you may just give one specific ߠ , for which the
equation will become false ( or it will not satisfy the equation).