TRIGONOMETRIC FUNCTIONS

4.2 – The Unit Circle

FUNDAMENTAL TRIG IDENTITIES
 Reciprocal Identities:
1 1 1
sec   csc   cot  
cos  sin  tan 

 Quotient Identities:

sin  cos 
tan   cot  
cos  sin 
 Pythagorean Identities:
sin 2   cos 2   1
tan 2   1  sec 2 
1  cot 2   csc 2 
THE UNIT CIRCLE
 The unit circle follows the equation x2 + y2 = 1
 Radius = 1, center at the origin
 Angles always have the initial side on the positive x-axis

 Consider the functions of an angle in the first quadrant

that intersects the circle at (x, y):
 cos(θ) = x/1 = x
(x, y)
 sin(θ) = y/1 = y
 tan(θ) = y/x 1
y
 From these 3 functions, we get… 
 sec(θ)
x
= 1/x
 csc(θ) = 1/y
 cot(θ) = x/y
SPECIAL RIGHT TRIANGLES
 Recall the dimensions of a 30-60-90 and a 45-45-90 right
triangle:

x 2 2x 60º
x x
30º

x 3
x
 These relationships give us trigonometric values for
common angles!   3 1
• At   , (x, y) =  , 
6  2 2
(x, y)
• At  
  2 2
, (x, y) =  , 
4  2 2 
1 y  

 • At   , (x, y) =  1 , 3 
3 2 2 
x  
  1 3 (0, 1) 1 3
 ,   , 
 2 2   2 2 
 2 2  
   2 2 
 
 2 , 2  π/2  2 , 2 
   
 3 1 π/3
 ,  2π/3  3 1
 3π/4 π/4  
 2 2  2 , 2
 
5π/6 π/6
135º 60º 45º
120º
90º 30º
150º
(-1, 0) (1, 0)
π 180º 0º 0
210º 330º
270º
225º 240º 300º 315º
7π/6 11π/6
 3 1  3 1
   5π/4 7π/4  
 2 ,
2  5π/3  2 , 2
 4π/3  
 2 2 3π/2  2 2
 
 2 , 2  
 , 
  1 3 1 3  2 2 
 ,    , 
 2 2  2 2 
  (0, -1)  
PROPERTIES OF TRIG FUNCTIONS
 Cosine and secant are even functions
 cos(-θ) = cos(θ)
 sec(-θ) = sec(θ)

 Sine, cosecant, tangent, and cotangent are odd functions

 sin(-θ) = -sin(θ)
 csc(-θ) = -csc(θ)
 tan(-θ) = -tan(θ)
 cot(-θ) = -cot(θ)

 Trig functions are periodic

 sin(θ + 2πn) = sin(θ)
 cos(θ + 2πn) = cos(θ)
 tan(θ + πn) = tan(θ)
 To memorize the unit circle, know your reference angles!!!
 Ex: Find the 6 trigonometric functions at θ = 2π/3.
 Reference angle = π/3 
1 3
 , 
 
2 x 2is negative
 Since 2π/3 is in quadrant II, the    1 3
 , 
 2 2 
 Using
 
this coordinate, we can find the 6 trig functions:

2 1
1 2 3 2 1 
cos  sin  sec  1  2
3 2 3 2 3 cos 
2
3
2 sin 2 3
 3
tan    2 1 1  3
3 cos 1 1 cot   
 3 tan  3 3
2
1
2 1  2 2 3
csc  3  
3 sin 3 3
2
 7
sin
EVALUATE WITHOUT A CALCULATOR:
4

1. 1
3
2.

2
2
3.
2
1
4.
2
0% 0% 0% 0% 0%
2
5. 
2
1
EVALUATE WITHOUT A CALCULATOR:

tan
4

1. 1
3
2.
3

3. 3

4.
2

2 0% 0% 0% 0% 0%
5.
2
1
 
tan
EVALUATE WITHOUT A CALCULATOR:
2

1. 1

0
2.

3
3.
3

4. 3
0% 0% 0% 0% 0%
undefined
5.
1
 5
sec
EVALUATE WITHOUT A CALCULATOR:
6

3
1.

2
2
2.

2 3
3.

3
3
4.
2
0% 0% 0% 0% 0%
5.
 2
 15
cos
EVALUATE WITHOUT A CALCULATOR:
4

3
1.
2
2
2. 2
1

3. 2
3
4.

2
2 0% 0% 0% 0% 0%
5. 
2