Section 4.

2 • Trigonometric Functions: The Unit Circle 77

Name______________________________________________
Section 4.2 Trigonometric Functions: The Unit Circle

Objective: In this lesson you learned how to identify a unit circle and its
relationship to real numbers.

Important Vocabulary Define each term or concept.

Unit circle A circle of radius 1 centered at the origin and given by the equation
x2 + y2 = 1. The basis for one of the perspectives of trigonometry.

Period A function f is periodic if there exists a positive real number c such that
f(t + c) = f(t) for all t in the domain of f. The smallest number c for which f is periodic
is called the period of f.

I. The Unit Circle (Page 294) What you should learn

How to identify a unit
As the real number line is wrapped around the unit circle, each circle and its relationship
real number t corresponds to . . . a point (x, y) on the circle. to real numbers

The real number 2π corresponds to the point (1, 0)

on the unit circle.

Each real number t also corresponds to a central angle θ

(in standard position) whose radian measure is t. With this
interpretation of t, the arc length formula s = rθ (with r = 1)
indicates that . . . the real number t is the length of the arc
intercepted by the angle θ, given in radians.

II. The Trigonometric Functions (Pages 295−297) What you should learn
How to evaluate
The coordinates x and y are two functions of the real variable t. trigonometric functions
These coordinates can be used to define six trigonometric using the unit circle
functions of t. List the abbreviation for each trigonometric
function.

Sine sin Cosecant csc

Cosine cos Secant sec

Tangent tan Cotangent cot

Larson/Hostetler Precalculus/Precalculus with Limits Notetaking Guide IAE

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78 Chapter 4 • Trigonometry

Let t be a real number and let (x, y) be the point on the unit circle
corresponding to t. Complete the following definitions of the
trigonometric functions:

sin t = y cos t = x

tan t = y/x, x ≠ 0 cot t = x/y, y ≠ 0

sec t = 1/x, x ≠ 0 csc t = 1/y, y ≠ 0

The cosecant function is the reciprocal of the sine

function. The cotangent function is the reciprocal of the
tangent function. The secant function is the reciprocal
of the cosine function.

Complete the following table showing the correspondence

between the real number t and the point (x, y) on the unit circle
when the unit circle is divided into eight equal arcs.

t 0 π/4 π/2 3π/4 π 5π/4 3π/2 7π/4

x 1 √2 /2 0 − √2 /2 −1 − √2 /2 0 √2 /2

y 0 √2 /2 1 √2 /2 0 − √2 /2 −1 − √2 /2

Complete the following table showing the correspondence

between the real number t and the point (x, y) on the unit circle
when the unit circle is divided into 12 equal arcs.

t 0 π/6 π/3 π/2 2π/3 5π/6 π 7π/6 4π/3 3π/2 5π/3 11π/6
x 1 √3 /2 1/2 0 − 1/2 − √3 /2 −1 − √3 /2 − 1/2 0 1/2 √3 /2

y 0 1/2 √3 /2 1 √3 /2 1/2 0 − 1/2 − √3 /2 −1 − √3 /2 − 1/2

Example 1: Find the following:

π 3π 7π
(a) cos (b) tan (c) csc
3 4 6
(a) 1/2 (b) − 1 (c) − 2

III. Domain and Period of Sine and Cosine (Pages 297−298) What you should learn
How to use the domain
The sine function’s domain is the set of all real numbers , and period to evaluate
and its range is [− 1, 1] . sine and cosine functions

Larson/Hostetler Precalculus/Precalculus with Limits Notetaking Guide IAE

Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
 Section 4.2 • Trigonometric Functions: The Unit Circle 79
Name______________________________________________
The cosine function’s domain is the set of all real numbers ,
and its range is [− 1, 1] .

The period of the sine function is 2π . The

period of the cosine function is 2π .

Which trigonometric functions are even functions?

cosine and secant
Which trigonometric functions are odd functions?
Sine, cosecant, tangent, and cotangent

31π
Example 2: Evaluate sin
6
− 1/2

IV. Evaluating Trigonometric Functions with a Calculator What you should learn
(Page 298) How to use a calculator
to evaluate trigonometric
To evaluate the secant function with a calculator, . . . functions
evaluate its reciprocal function, cosine, and then use the x-1 key.

Example 3: Use a calculator to evaluate (a) tan 4π/3, and

(b) cos 3.
(a) 1.732050808
(b) − 0.9899924966

Larson/Hostetler Precalculus/Precalculus with Limits Notetaking Guide IAE

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80 Chapter 4 • Trigonometry

Additional notes

y y y

x x x

y y y

x x x

Homework Assignment

Page(s)

Exercises

Larson/Hostetler Precalculus/Precalculus with Limits Notetaking Guide IAE

Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.