Summary of Introduction to Trigonometry
Key Concepts
- Trigonometric Ratios: Defined for acute angles in a right triangle.
- Sine (sin A): Opposite side / Hypotenuse
- Cosine (cos A): Adjacent side / Hypotenuse
- Tangent (tan A): Opposite side / Adjacent side
- Cosecant (cosec A): 1 / sin A
- Secant (sec A): 1 / cos A
- Cotangent (cot A): 1 / tan A
Important Values for Specific Angles
- 0°: sin 0° = 0, cos 0° = 1, tan 0° = 0
- 30°: sin 30° = 1/2, cos 30° = √3/2, tan 30° = 1/√3
- 45°: sin 45° = √2/2, cos 45° = √2/2, tan 45° = 1
- 60°: sin 60° = √3/2, cos 60° = 1/2, tan 60° = √3
- 90°: sin 90° = 1, cos 90° = 0, tan 90° = Not defined
Trigonometric Identities
- sin² A + cos² A = 1
- 1 + tan² A = sec² A
- 1 + cot² A = cosec² A
Applications
- Used to find heights and distances in real-world scenarios (e.g., measuring heights of buildings, distances across rivers).
Common Misconceptions
- The value of sin A or cos A never exceeds 1.
- cot A is not defined for A = 0°.
Exercises
- Evaluate trigonometric expressions and verify identities as practice.