Trigonometry

- understand the relationship of the secant, cosecant and cotangent

functions to cosine, sine and tangent.
- use the properties and graphs of all six trigonometric functions for angles
of any magnitude.
- use trigonometrical identities for the simplification and exact evaluation
of expressions and in the course of solving equations, and select an
identity or identities appropriate to the context, showing familiarity in
particular with the use of
 sec2θ ≡ 1 + tan2θ ; cosec2θ ≡ 1 + cot2θ
 the expansions of sin(A ± B), cos(A ± B), tan(A ± B)
 the formulae for sin 2A, cos 2A and tan 2A
 the expressions of a sin θ + b cos θ in the forms R sin(θ ± α) and
R cos(θ ± α)

Know the following graphs: sin x, cos x, tan x, cosec x, sec x, cot x.

Relationship of the sec x to cos x, cosec x to sin x and cot x to tanx

1 1 sin θ 1 cos θ
sec θ = ; cosec θ = ; tan θ = ; cot θ = =
cos θ sin θ cos θ tan θ sin θ

sec2θ = 1 + tan2θ ; cosec2θ = 1 + cot2θ ; sin2θ + cos2θ = 1

Find the values of x for each of the following equations,

where 0° ≤ x ≤ 360°

1. sin x = cosec x 2. sin x cos x = sin x

3. 2 cos2x – 3 cos x + 1 = 0 4. 2 cos2x – 2 cos x + sin2x = 0

1
5. sec2x – 1 = tan x 6. tan2x – 1 =
cos x

7. 2 sin x cos x = 1 8. 2 sin2x – 5 sin x + 2 = 0

9. sin x sec x + 1 = 2 tan x 10. tan2x – 3 sec x + 3 = 0

11. 2 tan x = cot x + 1 12. sec x = 3 cos x

13. 2 cos x = cot x 14. 2 tan x = 3 sin x

Answers

1) 90°, 270° 2) 0°, 180°, 360° 3) 0°, 60°, 300°, 360° 4) 0°, 360°
5) 0°, 45°, 180°, 225°, 360° 6) 60°, 180°, 300° 7) 45°, 225°
8) 30°, 150° 9) 45°, 225° 10) 0°, 60°, 300°,360°
11) 45°, 225°, 153.4°, 333.4° 12) 54.7°, 125.3°, 234.7°, 305.3°
13) 30°, 90°, 150°, 270° 14) 0°, 180°, 360°, 48.2°, 311.8°
Find the values of x for each of the following equations:

1. 6 sin 2x – 5 sin x + 1 = 0 for 0° ≤ x ≤ 180°

1
2. 3 sin x + 3cos x = for 0° ≤ x ≤ 360°
cos x - sin x
3. 2 cot 2x – 5 cot x + 2 = 0 for 0° < x < 360°
2 2
4. cos x – 3 sin x + 3 = 0 for 0° ≤ x ≤ 360°
5. 3 sin x + 2 = cosec x for 0° < x < 180
2
6. 15 cos x – 8 cos x + 1 = 0 for 0° < x < 360°
7. tan x + 1 = 2 cot x for 0° < x < 360°
8. 5 sin x cos x – 5 sin x – 2 cos x + 2 = 0 for 0° ≤ x ≤ 360°
9. sin 2 (x + 15°) = 0.6 for 0° ≤ x ≤ 360°
10. cos2 (2x + 10°) = 0.2 for 0° ≤ x ≤ 360°

Answers

1. 19.5°, 30°, 150°, 160.5°

2. 35.3°, 144.7°, 215.3°, 324.7°
3. 26.6°, 63.4°, 206.6°, 243.4°
4. 90°, 270°
5. 19.5°, 160.5°
6. 70.5°, 78.5°, 281.5°, 289.5°
7. 45°, 116.6°, 225°, 296.6°
8. 0°, 23.6°, 156.4°, 360°
9. 35.8°, 114.2°, 215.8°, 294.2°
10. 26.7°, 53.3°, 116.7°, 143.3°, 206.7°, 233.3°, 296.7°, 323.3°

Prove the following identities:

1. sec2x + cosec2x ≡ sec2x cosec2x

2. cos x cosec x + sin x sec x ≡ cosec x sec x
3. sec x cosec x - cot x ≡ tan x
1 + sin x cos x
4. + ≡ 2 sec x
cos x 1 + sin x
(sin x + cos x) 2
5. ≡ 2 + sec x cosec x
sin x cos x
6. (sec x – tan x) (cosec x + 1) ≡ cot x
cot x - tan x
7. ≡ cos 2 x - sin 2 x
cot x + tan x
sin x
8. cos ec x - ≡ cot x
1 + cos x
9. (cot x – tan x) sin x ≡ 2 cos x – sec x
10. cot2x - cos2x ≡ cot2x cos2x
1 - cos x
11. (cosec x - cot x) 2 ≡
1 + cos x
12. Prove the following
1 + sin 2A cos A + sin A
(a) =
cos 2A cos A - sin A
tan 3A + tan A
(b) = 2 cos 2A
tan 3A - tan A
sec A - 1 A
(c) = 2 sin 2  
sec A 2
The expansions of sin( A ± B ), cos( A ± B), tan( A ± B )
The formulae for sin2A, cos2A, tan2A
__________________________________________

sin(A ± B) = sin A cos B ± cos A sin B

cos(A + B) = cos A cos B – sin A sin B
cos (A – B) = cos A cos B + sin A sin B
tan A + tan B
tan (A + B) =
1 - tan A tan B
tan A − tan B
tan (A – B) =
1 + tan A tan B

sin 2A = 2 sin A cos A

cos 2A = cos2A – sin2A = 2 cos2A – 1 = 1 – 2 sin2A
2 tan A
tan 2A =
1 - tan 2 A

1. Find cos π 12 and tan 7π 12 using the known values of sine, cosine and
tangent of π 3 and π 4
2. If tanA = 4 3 and cosB = 12 13 , find the possible values of sin (A – B) if A is
acute.
3. Given sin A = 1213 and cos B = 4 5 , where A and B are acute angles, find the
value for
sin (A – B)
4. If sin A = 5/13, cos B = 1/5, find the exact values of, if A and B are
acute,
(i) sin (A + B)
(ii) cos (A – B)

(iii) tan (A + B)

5. Prove the following

(a) (1 + sin 2A)/cos 2A = (cos A + sin A)/(cos A – sin A)
(b) (tan 3A + tan A) / (tan 3A - tan A) = 2 cos 2A
(c) (sec A – 1)/ sec A = 2 sin2 (A/2)
3
(d) Find the exact value of cos 15° given that cos 30° =
2

6. Without using tables find the exact value of:

(a) sin 22.5°
(b) cos 22.5°

7. If tan A = ½ , tan B = 1/3 and tan C = 2/3, evaluate exactly

(a) tan (A + B)
(b) tan (B + C)
(c) tan (C + A)

8. Given that tan 2A = -24/7 where A is an acute angle, find sin A and cos
A.

9. Show that sin π/12 cos 5π/12 = (2 – √3)/4

10.Using the expansion of sin (45° + 30°) prove that sin 75° = (√2 + √6)/4.
Find a similar expression for sin 15°.
Answer

1+ 3  33   63   33 
1. ; − 2 − 3 2.   or   3.  
2 2  65   65   65 
 5 + 24 6   12 + 10 6   5 + 24 6 
4.i)   ii)   iii)  
 65   65   12 - 10 6 
2+ 3 2− 2 2+ 2
5(d) 6. (a) (b)
2 2 2
9 7 4 3
7a) (1) b)   c)   8. (sin A = , cos A = )
7 4 5 5
2- 3 6- 2
9. 10.
4 4

The expressions of a sin θ + b cos θ in the forms R sin (θ ± α ) and R cos

(θ ± α )

To solve this type of questions, we express a sin θ ± b cos θ in the form R

sin (θ ± α) and a cos θ  b sin θ in the form and R cos (θ ± α), where R >
0 and for 0 ≤ α ≤ π/2.
R = √(a2 + b2) and tan α = b/a.

sin(θ + α) = cos θ sin α + sin θ cos α cos(θ + α) = cos θ cos α - sin θ sin α
sin(θ - α) =-cos θ sin α + sin θ cos α cos (θ - α) = cos θ cos α + sin θ
sin α

We shall equate the following, where a > 0 and b > 0

a cos θ + b sin θ ≡ R cos (θ - α) or R sin (θ + α)

a cos θ - b sin θ ≡ R cos (θ + α) ; - a cos θ + b sin θ ≡ R sin (θ - α)

Solve the following equations, for 0° ≤ x ≤ 360°, and hence find the max and
min values
a) 3 cos θ + 4 sin θ = 2
b) √3 cos 2θ - sin 2θ =√2
c) 5 sin θ + 12 cos θ = 6.5
d) 2 cos θ - 3 sin θ = (√13)/4
e) 2√2 sin θ - 12 cos θ = 2
f) 2 cos θ + √5 sin θ = 1
g) √3sin(θ/2) + cos (θ/2) = 1

Answers
a) θ = 119.55 ° ,346.71°; max = 5 at 53.13° , min = −5 at 223.13°
b) θ = 7.5° ,142.5° ,187.5° ,322.5° ; max = 2 at 150° ,330° , min = - 2 at 60 ° ,240 °
c) θ = 82.62° ,322.62° ; max = 13 at 22.62° ; min = - 13 at 202.62 °
d) θ = 19.21° ,228.17 ° e) θ = 19.21 ° ,228.17 ° f) θ = 118.7 ° ,337.7 °
g) θ = 0° ,240 ° ; max = 2 at 120 ° , min = - 1 at 360 °
Past Year Questions

1) Express cos x – sin x in the form R cos (x + α), where R > 0 and for 0 ≤ α
≤ π, giving the value of R and the value of α.
Sketch the graph of y = cos x – sin x for - π ≤ α ≤ π. Using the graph,
determine the number of roots of the equation cos x – sin x = ½ lying
between 0 < α < π.

2) Express 2 cos θ + 3 sin θ - in the form r cos (θ - α), where r (r > 0) and α
(0° ≤ α ≤ 360°) are to be found. Hence or otherwise, solve the equation 2
cos θ + 3 sin θ = 2.5, giving all values of θ between 0° and 360°.

3) a) Solve the equation 5 cos θ - 12 sin θ = 6, (0° ≤ θ ≤ 360°)

b) Solve the equation 2 cos 2θ = 7 sin θ (0° ≤ θ ≤ 360°)

4) Express cos θ - √ 3 sin θ in the form R cos (θ + α), where R > 0 and
0 < α < ½ π. Hence prove that the solutions of the equation
cos θ - √ 3 sin θ = √ 2 which lie in the interval 0 < θ < 2π are θ = (17/12) π
and θ = (23/12) π.

5) Solve for x, where - 180° < θ ≤ 180°, the equations

a) sin (x + 60°) = cos x
b) 5 cos x = 2 + 3 sin x, giving your answers to the nearest 0.1°.

6) Express 2 cos θ + 9 sin θ in the form R cos (θ - α), where R > 0 and
0 < α < ½ π, giving the values of R and α (radian). Hence
i) write down the maximum value of 2 cos θ + 9 sin θ and the smallest
positive value of θ (radian) at which this maximum value occurs
ii) find the smallest positive solution of the equation 2 cos θ + 9 sin θ = 1.
θ = 2.81

7) Solve the equation 4 sin θ - 7 cos θ + 3 = 0, giving the values of θ between

0° and 360° correct to the nearest 0.1°.

8) Express 5 cos x + 2 sin x in the form r cos (x - α), where r > 0 and
0° < α < 90°. Hence, or otherwise, find the angle x such that 0° < x < 90°
and 5 cos x + 2 sin x = 4, giving your answer correct to the nearest 0.1°.

9) Express 2 sin t + (2√ 3) cos t in the form R sin (t + α), where R > 0 and
0 < α < ½ π. What is the least value of 1/[10 + 2 sin t + (2√ 3) cos t] as t
varies?

10)Express 5 sin θ + 12 cos θ in the form R sin (θ + α), where R > 0 and α is
acute, giving the value of α to the nearest 0.1°. Hence, solve the
equation 6 sec θ - 5 tan θ = 12, for values of θ lying between 0° and 360°,
giving your answers to the nearest 0.1°.