Introduction to Trigonometric

Functions

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 Trig functions are the

relationships amongst
various sides in right
triangles.
You know by the
Pythagorean theorem
that the sum of the
squares of each of
the smaller sides
equals the square of
the hypotenuse, a 2 b2 c 2

You know in the above triangle that

2
2
2

a b c

Trig functions are how the relationships

amongst the lengths of the sides of a
right triangle vary as the other angles
are changed.

How does this relate to trig?

The opposite side divided by the
hypotenuse, a/c, is called the sine of angle
A
The adjacent side divided by the
hypotenuse, b/c, is called the cosine of
Angle A
The opposite side divided by the adjacent
side, a/b, is called the tangent of Angle A

Remember SOHCAHTOA
Sine is Opposite
divided by
Hypotenuse
Cosine is Adjacent
divided by
Hypotenuse
Tangent is Opposite
divided by Adjacent
SOHCAHTOA!!!!!!

Table of Contents

Examples
Question 1
Question 2
Question 3
Question 4

Example 1
If a = 3 and c = 6, what is the
measurement of angle A?

Answer: a/c is a sine relationship

with A.
Sine A = 3/6 = .5, from your
calculator, angle A = 30 degrees.

Example 2
A flagpole casts a 100
foot shadow at noon.
Lying on the ground
at the end of the
shadow you measure
an angle of 25
degrees to the top of
the flagpole.
How High is the
flagpole?

How do you solve this question?

You have an angle, 25

degrees, and the length of the
side next to the angle, 100
feet. You are trying to find the
length of the side opposite the
angle.
Opposite/adjacent is a tangent
relationship
Let x be the height of the
flagpole
From your calculator, the
tangentx of 25 is .47
.47 = 100
x = (.47)(100), x = 47
The flagpole is 47 feet high.

Question 1
Given Angle A is 35 degrees, and b = 50
feet.
Find c. Click on the correct answer.
A. 61 feet
B 87 feet
C. 71 feet

GREAT JOB!
You have an angle and an
adjacent side, you need to
find the hypotenuse. You
knew that the cosine finds
the relationship between the
adjacent and the
hypotenuse.
Cosine 35 = 50/c, c Cosine
35 = 50,
So c = 50/cos 35, or
approximately 61

Next question

Nice try
You have an angle
and the adjacent side.
You want to find the
hypotenuse.
What relationship
uses the adjacent and
the hypotenuse?
Back to
Question

Back to tutorial

Question 2
If the adjacent side is 50, and the
hypotenuse is 100, what is the angle?
Please click on the correct answer.
A. 60 degrees
B. 30 degrees
C. 26 degrees

Way to go!
Given the adjacent
side and the
hypotenuse, you
recognized that the
adjacent divided by
the hypotenuse was a
cosine relationship.
Cosine A = 50/100,
A = 60 degrees

Next question

Nice try
Given an adjacent
side and a
hypotenuse, what
relationship will give
you the angle?

Back to question
Back to tutorial

Question 3
If the opposite side is 75, and the angle is
80 degrees, how long is the adjacent
side?
A. 431
B. 76
C. 13

Nice job
You were given the
opposite side of 75 and
an angle of 80 degrees
and were asked to find
the adjacent side. You
recognized that this was
a tangent relationship.
Tangent 80 = 75/b,
b tangent 80 = 75,
75
b=
= 13
tan 80

Next question

Nice Try
You are given an
angle and the
opposite side, and
have been asked to
find the adjacent side.
What relationship
uses the opposite
side and the adjacent
side?

Back to question
Back to tutorial

Question 4:
If B = 50 degrees and b = 100
what is c?
B

_
__

C. 84

__
__
__
__

B. 130

________

A. 155

A ________ C
b

Nice try
What is the
relationship between
B and b? And, what is
the relationship
between b and c?
Return to question
Return to tutorial

Great job!
First, you recognized that
b is the opposite side
from B. Then, you
recognized that the
relationship between an
opposite side and the
hypotenuse is a sine
relationship.
Sine 50 = 100/c, c Sine
50 = 100, c = 100/sine 50
= 130.

Go to next section

Introduction to Quadrants

II

__________________

90 degrees
I

180 degrees______________________ 0 degrees

III

270 degrees

IV

Quadrants
All angles are divided into 4 quadrants
Angles between 0 and 90 degrees are in
quadrant 1
Angles between 90 and 180 degrees are in
quadrant II
Angles between 180 and 270 degrees are in
quadrant III
Angles between 270 and 360 degrees are in
quadrant IV
Why is this important? Click and find out!

Importance of quadrants
Different trig functions are positive and
negative in different quadrants.
The easy way to remember which are
positive and negative in each quadrant it
to remember, All Students Take Classes

All Students Take Classes

Quadrant I: 0 90 degrees: All: All trig
functions are positive
Quadrant II: 90 180 degrees: Students:
Sine functions are positive
Quadrant III: 180 270 degrees: Take:
Tangent functions are positive
Quadrant IV: 270 360 degrees: Classes;
Cosine functions are positive

Standard Angle Values

Angle
Sine
Cosine
Tangent

30

45

60

90

0 1 2 3 4
2 2 2 2 2
4
2

3
2

2
2

1
2

0
2

0
4

1
3

2
2

3
1

4
0

Remember
Simplify the fractions
Place the radicals in
the numerator. Write
Instead of 1
2

2
2

Congratulations
You have learned how to use the 3 main
trig functions, you have learned which
functions are positive in which quadrants,
and you have learned values of sine,
cosine, and tangent for 5 standard angles.

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