Trigonometric Identities & Formulas

Reciprocal Identities Ratio or Quotient Identities Odd-Even Identities

Also called negative angle identities
1 1 sin x cos x
sin x  csc x  tan x  cot x 
csc x sin x cos x sin x Sin (-x) = -sin x Csc (-x) = -csc x

1 1 sinx = cosx tanx cosx = sinx cotx Cos (-x) = cos x Sec (-x) = sec x
cos x  sec x 
sec x cos x Tan (-x) = -tan x Cot (-x) = -cot x
Confunction Identities
1 1
tan x  cot x      How to Find Reference Angles
cot x tan x sin  x  cos x cos  x  sin x
2  2  Step 1: Determine which quadrant the angle is in
Step 2: Use the appropriate formula
Pythagorean Identities
    Quad I = is the angle itself
sin 2 x  cos2 x  1 tan  x  cot x cot   x  tan x 180 – θ π- θ
2  2  Quad II = or
1  tan 2 x  sec2 x Quad III = θ – 180 or θ- π
1  cot 2 x  csc2 x 360 – θ 2π - θ
    Quad IV = or
sec  x  csc x csc  x  sec x
Pythagorean Identities 2  2  c 2
in Radical Form Phase Shift = Period =
b b
sin x   1  cos2 x
Sum and Difference Formulas/Identities tan u  tan v
tan x   sec 2 x  1 sin(u  v )  sin u cos v  cos u sin v tan(u  v ) 
1  tan u tan v
cos x   1  sin 2 x sin(u  v )  sin u cos v  cos u sin v
cos(u  v )  cos u cos v  sin u sin v tan u  tan v
tan(u  v ) 
cos(u  v )  cos u cos v  sin u sin v 1  tan u tan v

Right Triangle Definitions

of Trigonometric Functions Definition of Trigonometric Functions concerning the Unit Circle
opp y hyp r
sin θ =  csc θ =  opp y hyp r
hyp r opp y sin θ =  csc θ = 
hyp r opp y

adj x hyp r adj x hyp r

cos θ =  sec θ =  cos θ =  sec θ = 
hyp r adj x hyp r adj x

opp y adj x opp y adj x

tan θ =  cot θ =  tan θ =  cot θ = 
adj x opp y adj x opp y
C

r y
Hypotenuse opposite

A x B
adjacent

Adjacent = is the side adjacent to the angle in consideration.

So if we are considering Angle A, then the adjacent side is CB
 Double Angle Identities Half Angle Identities Power Reducing Formulas

sin 2 A  2 sin A cos A A 1  cos A 1  cos 2u

sin  sin 2 u 
2 2 2

cos 2 A  cos2 A  sin 2 A A 1  cos A 1  cos 2u

cos  cos2 u 
2 2 2

cos 2 A  2 cos2 A  1 A 1  cos A 1  cos 2u

tan  tan 2 u 
2 sin A 1  cos 2u
cos 2 A  1  2 sin 2 A

2 tan A
tan 2 A  A

sin A
1  tan 2 A tan
2 1  cos A

Sum-to-Product Formulas Law of Sines Law of Cosines

 x  y  x  y
Cosine: SAS, SSS

sin x  sin y  2 sin  cos 

 2   2  a

b

c Standard Form Alternative Form
sin A sin B sin C b2  c2  a 2
or a  b  c  2bc cos A
2 2 2
cos A 
 x  y  x  y 2bc
sin x  sin y  2 cos  sin  sin A sin B sin C
a  c2  b2
 2   2 
2
 
a b c b 2  a 2  c 2  2ac cos B cos B 
2ac
 x  y  x  y a  b 2  c2
2

cos x  cos y  2 cos  cos  c 2  b 2  a 2  2ab cos C cosC 

 2   2  2ab

 x  y  x  y Finding the Area of non-90degree Triangles

cos x  cos y   2 sin  sin 
 2   2 
Area of an Oblique Triangle
Product-to-Sum Formulas
1 1 1
sin u sin v  cos(u  v )  cos(u  v )
1 area  bc sin A  ab sin C  ac sin B
2 2 2 2

Heron’s Formula
cos(u  v)  cos(u  v)
1
cos u cos v 
2  a  b  c
Step 1: Find “s” s
2
sin u cos v  sin(u  v)  sin(u  v )
1 Step 2: Use the formula area  s( s  a )( s  b)( s  c)
2

sin(u  v)  sin(u  v)

1
cos u sin v 
2