Plane and Spherical

Trigonometry
Part 1: Plane Trigonometry
 Conversion of Units
1 Rotation = 360 Degrees (Sexagesimal System)
= 2𝜋 Radians
= 400 Gradians (Centesimal System)
= 6400 Mils
Example 1

Convert 405 degrees to Mils.

Trigonometric Functions (Right Angle)
Some Little Known Trigonometric Functions

Versed Sine: versθ = 1− cosθ

Coversed Sine/Versed Cosine: coversθ = 1− sin θ

Exsecant: ex secθ = secθ − 1

1
Haversine: havθ = (1− cosθ )
2
Example 2

Find the value of 𝜃 if versed sine of 𝜃 = 0.148.

Example 3

In triangle ABC, AB = 8m and BC = 20m. One

possible dimension of CA is?
Concept:

üSum of any two sides > Third Side

üDifference of any two sides < Third side
min = A − B + 1 = C
max = A + B − 1 = C
Oblique Triangles:

∑ InteriorAngle = 180 0

üSmallest: > 0 degree but < 90 degrees (ACUTE)

üIntermediate: > 0 degree but < 90 degrees
(ACUTE)
üLargest: > 0 degree but < 180 degrees (ACUTE
or OBTUSE)
Example 4

In triangle ABC, AB = 15m, AC = 9m and

angle A = 50 degrees. Determine the length of
side BC.
Co-terminal Angles:

Ex: 30 deg, 390 deg, 750 deg, -330 deg.

Example

In triangle XYZ, XZ = 17m, YZ = 15m and

angle X = 43 degrees. Determine the interior
angle at vertex z.
Checking the SOLUTION OF TRIANGLES:

Mollweide’s Equation:
⎛ A − B⎞ ⎛ A − B⎞
sin ⎜
⎝ 2 ⎟⎠
cos ⎜
a+b ⎝ 2 ⎟⎠ a−b
= or =
c ⎛ C⎞ c ⎛ C⎞
sin ⎜ ⎟ cos ⎜ ⎟
⎝ 2⎠ ⎝ 2⎠
Trigonometric Identities:

üPythagorean Identities
sin 2 θ + cos 2 θ = 1

1+ tan θ = sec θ
2 2

cot 2 θ + 1 = csc 2 θ
Trigonometric Identities:

üFunction of Sum and Difference

sin ( A ± B ) = sin A cos B ± cos Asin B
cos ( A ± B ) = cos A cos B ∓ sin Asin B
tan A ± tan B
tan ( A ± B ) =
1 ∓ tan A tan B
Trigonometric Identities:

üFunction of Twice an Angle

sin 2A = 2sin A cos A
cos 2A = cos 2 A − sin 2 A
cos 2A = 1− 2sin 2 A
cos 2A = 2 cos A − 1
2

2 tan A
tan 2A =
1− tan 2 A
Trigonometric Identities:

üFunction of Half an Angle

θ 1− cosθ
sin =
2 2

θ 1+ cosθ
cos =
2 2

θ sin θ
tan =
2 1+ cosθ
Trigonometric Identities:

üSum & Difference of Functions

⎛ x + y⎞ ⎛ x − y⎞
sin x + sin y = 2sin ⎜
⎝ 2 ⎟⎠
cos ⎜
⎝ 2 ⎟⎠
⎛ x + y⎞ ⎛ x − y⎞
sin x − sin y = 2 cos ⎜
⎝ 2 ⎠ ⎝ 2 ⎟⎠
⎟ sin ⎜

⎛ x + y⎞ ⎛ x − y⎞
cos x + cos y = 2 cos ⎜
⎝ 2 ⎟⎠ ⎜⎝ ⎟
cos
2 ⎠
⎛ x + y⎞ ⎛ x − y⎞
cos x − cos y = −2sin ⎜
⎝ 2 ⎟⎠ ⎜⎝ 2 ⎟⎠
sin
Example 5

If the sum of the angles A+B+C=180 degrees

and tanA+tanB+tanC=x, find the equivalent
value of (tanA)(tanB)(tanC)?
Example 6

Find the value of

sin 0 + sin1 + sin 2 + ...+ sin 90

0 0 0 0

cos 0 + cos1 + cos 2 + ...+ cos 90

0 0 0 0
Example 7

A pole cast a shadow 15m long when the

angle of elevation of the sun is 61 degrees. If
the pole leans 15 degrees directly towards the
sun, what is the length of the pole?
Example 8
A statue 2m high stands on a column that is
3m high. An observer in level with the top of
the statue observed that the column and the
statue subtend the same angle. How far is the
observer from the statue?
Example 9
The angle of elevation of the top point D of
a tower from A is 24.35 degrees. From another
point B, the angle of elevation of the top of
the tower is 56.21 degrees. The points A and B
are 287.6m apart on the same level ground as
the foot of the tower. The horizontal angle
subtends by A and B at the foot of the tower is
90 degrees.
üDetermine the distance from point A to the
foot of the tower.

üCompute the distance from point B to the

foot of the tower.

üFind the height of the tower.

 Part 2:
Spherical Trigonometry
The Spherical Triangle
Sine Law

sin a sinb sin c

= =
sin A sin B sinC
Cosine Law

cos a = cosb cos c + sinbsin c cos A

cosb = cos a cos c + sin asin c cos B
cos c = cos a cosb + sin asinb cosC
Cosine Law

cos A = − cos B cosC + sin BsinC cos a

cos B = − cos A cosC + sin AsinC cosb
cosC = − cos A cos B + sin Asin B cos c
Mnemonics!

S = Sides
P = Positve
A = Angles
N = Negative
Example 10

Angle C = 90 degrees in a right spherical

triangle ABC. If c = 80 degrees and a = 50
degrees. Find b.
Example 11

In a spherical triangle ABC, B = 80 degrees,

a=49 degrees and c = 77 degrees. Find the
value of angle A.
Checking the SOLUTION OF SPHERICAL TRIANGLES:

Delambre (or Gauss) Analogies:

⎡1 ⎤ ⎡1 ⎤ ⎡1 ⎤ ⎡1 ⎤
sin ⎢ ( a − b ) ⎥ sin ⎢ ( A − B ) ⎥ sin ⎢ ( a + b ) ⎥ cos ⎢ ( A − B ) ⎥
⎣2 ⎦= ⎣2 ⎦ ⎣2 ⎦= ⎣2 ⎦
⎛1 ⎞ ⎛1 ⎞ or ⎛1 ⎞ ⎛1 ⎞
or
sin ⎜ c ⎟ cos ⎜ C ⎟ sin ⎜ c⎟ sin ⎜ C ⎟
⎝2 ⎠ ⎝2 ⎠ ⎝2 ⎠ ⎝2 ⎠

⎡1 ⎤ ⎡1 ⎤ ⎡1 ⎤ ⎡1 ⎤
cos ⎢ ( a − b ) ⎥ sin ⎢ ( A + B ) ⎥ cos ⎢ ( a + b ) ⎥ cos ⎢ ( A + B ) ⎥
⎣2 ⎦= ⎣2 ⎦ ⎣2 ⎦= ⎣2 ⎦
⎛1 ⎞ ⎛1 ⎞
or ⎛1 ⎞ ⎛1 ⎞
cos ⎜ c ⎟ cos ⎜ C ⎟ cos ⎜ c⎟ sin ⎜ C ⎟
⎝2 ⎠ ⎝2 ⎠ ⎝2 ⎠ ⎝2 ⎠
Example 12

If the longitude of Tokyo is 139 degrees East

and that of Manila is 121 degrees E. What is
the difference of the two?
Example 13

If the time is 8:00 A.M. GMT, what is the

time in the:
a. Philippines (120 degrees E)
b. Egypt (109 degrees W)