University of Nebraska - Lincoln

DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln

Instructional Materials in Physics and

Calculus-Based General Physics Astronomy

1975

Trigonometry

Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/calculusbasedphysics

Part of the Other Physics Commons

"Trigonometry" (1975). Calculus-Based General Physics. 37.

https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/calculusbasedphysics/37

This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Instructional Materials in Physics and Astronomy at
DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. It has been accepted for inclusion in Calculus-Based General
Physics by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln.
REVIEW MODULE

TRIGONOMETRY

This module begins with a self-check test. If you can correctly answer 90%
of these test items, you do not need to study this module. (A table of
trigonometric functions is given on p. 8 of this module.) The answers to
these questions are given at the end of the module, i.e., immediately preceding
the table.

SELF-CHECK TEST
1. Without the use of tables, convert degrees to radians and radians to degrees:
(a) 30° = rad; (c) 225° = rad;
(b) (3/4)rr rad = ° ,. (d) (5/3)rr rad = °
2. (a) What is the maximum value for the sine of an angle, cosine of an angle,
and tangent of an angle? Give at least one angle that has the maximum value
for the named function.
(b) Which angle in Problem 1 has the largest value for the sine, for the
cosine, and for the tangent, respectively?
3. One acute angle of a right triangle is 37°. The length of the side
opposite the angle is 12.0 cm.
(a) What are the ratios of the lengths of the sides of this triangle?
(b) For this triangle, find the lengths of the other two sides of the
triangle. (Show your work!)
4. One acute angle of a right triangle is 40°. The length of the hypotenuse
is 12.0 cm. Find the lengths of the other two sides.
5. In a right triangle the hypotenuse is 2{3 and one side is 3.
(a) Find the missing side.
(b) What are the angles?
6. A surveyor wishes to determine the distance between two points A and B,
but he cannot make a direct measurement because a river intervenes. He
steps off at a 90° angle to AB a line AC, which he measures to be 264 m.
He measures an angle with his transit at point C to point B. Angle BCA
is measured to be 62°. With this information, calculate AB.
7. Show that, for any angle e,
sin 2 e + cos 2 e = 1.
 REVIEW MODULE: Trigonometry 2

RIGHT TRIANGLE
Many of the applications of physics will require you to have a thorough
knowledge of the basic properties of right triangles, i.e., triangles that
have one angle equal to 90°.
. I The trigonometric functions are defined with respect to a right triangle as
foll ows:

sin e = y/r

cos e = x/r Y
tan e = y/x
X
The values of the trigonometric sine, cosine, and tangent functions for a given
e can be determined from a table such as in the appendix to your text or the
last page of this module. You can also get the values by use of most slide
rules CIS" and "T" scales) and many electronic calculators.

The 30°-60°-90° and 45°-45°-90° Triangles

It is also useful to remember the values of the functions for e = 30°, 45°,
and 60° by means of the triangles below.

1 1

1
,I
These triangles are right triangles, and you should check that the ~ides indeed
satisfy the Pythagorean theorem. Note also that in any right triangle the
longest side is the hypotenuse.
REVIEW MODULE: Trigonometry 3

Using the basic definitions and the above triangles, one finds
sin 30° = 1/2 = 0.500,
sin 45° = 1/12 = 12/2 = 1.414/2 = 0.707 ... ,
sin 60° = 1.3/2 = 1.732/2 = 0.866,
cos 30° = 1.3/2 = 1.732/2 = 0.866,
cos 45° = 1/12 = 12/2 = 0.707,
cos 60° = 1/2 = 0.500,
tan 30° = 1/1.3 = 1.3/3 = 1.732/3 = 0.577,
tan 45° = 1/1 = 1.000,
tan 60° = 1:3 = 1.732.

The 3-4-5 Triangle

The 3-4-5 triangle (since the sides are in the ratio of 3 4 5) is known as
the 37°-53°-90° triangle:
sin 37° = 0.6, sin 53° = 0.8,
cos 37° = 0.8, cos 53° = 0.6,
tan 37° = 0.75, tan 53° = 1.33.
You should memorize these three special triangles so that you can compute the
values of sine, cosine, and tangent for the angles involved.

ANGLES > 90°

When calculating the products of vectors (see Dimensionsand Vector Addition
module), it is often necessary to determine the sine and cosine of angles
greater than 90°, whereas most trig tables list values only for angles less
than or equal to 90°. Two alternative ways of remembering the necessary
relationships are as follows:
Method I Recall the definitions of sine and cosine for general angles:
sin e = y/r and cos e = x/r,
where x and yare the horizontal and vertical projections, respectively, of
the radial distance r, as shown in the figures below for angles in the
various quandrants.
 REVIEW MODULE: Trigonometry 4

- - -....~--t - -~~ .....- -

Figure 1

Method II Recall the graphs of sin e and cos e:

..........
.-..-~- .....- ...........e

SINe cose
Figure 2
Example
Find sine e and cos e where e = 150° (= 180° - 30°).
Solution I: Comparison of Figures l(a} and l(b) together with the definitions
of sine and cosine, shows that sin 150° = sin 30°, cos 150° = -cos 30°. Then
sin 30° and cos 30° can be looked up in a table or on a slide rule (or, for
this example, easily computed).
Solution II: Inspection of Figure 2(a) shows that sin 150° = sin 30°; inspec-
tion of Figure 2(b) shows that cos 150° = -cos 30°. The sine and cosine of 30°
are determined as in Solution I.
REVIEW MODULE: Trigonometry 5

RADIAN MEASURE
Many of the problems of planar and rotational motion and waves will depend upon
your knowledge of radian measure of angles. Let us therefore take a look at
radian measure. The number of radians in an angle at the center of a circle
is equal to the (arc subtended by the angle) divided by the radius, or
angle in radians - arc length
- radius
e -- r'
s s

To travel completely around a circle with a radius of 1.00 m, you will go in

an arc of length 6.28 m (2rr rad). But once around the circle is equal to 360°.
Derive a formula to convert back and forth between angular measurements in
degrees and in radians. Use your formula to convert 45° to radian measure.

USEFUL TRIGONOMETRIC IDENTITIES

In the solution of many problems in physics you may need to use a trigonometric
identity. Listed below are some of the most useful ones:
sin 2 e + cos 2 e = 1, (1)

sin(A ± B) = ~in A)(cos B) ± (sin B)(cos A), (2)

cos(A ± B) = ~os A)(cos B) + (sin A)(sin B). (3)

You can develop the relationships for the sine and cosine of 2A by letting
A equal B in Eqs. (2) and (3).

PRACTICE TEST
1. Convert the following angles to radian measures and give their sine,
cosine, and tangent values:
(a) 60°;
(b) 53°;
(c) 37°.

2. Find the unknowns of triangle A:

B =- - - - - -
a =------
b =- - - - - -
Triangle A
REVIEW MODULE: Trigonometry 6

3. One acute angle of a right triangle is 20°. The length of the hypotenuse
is 6.0 in. Use trigonometry to calculate the lengths of the two sides.
4. In a 45°-45°-90° right triangle, what is the ratio of the hypotenuse to
the sides?
5. State what a in the triangle is equal to without using a trigonometry
table or the Pythagorean theorem.

6. A car was traveling exactly northeast. If it went a total distance of

42.4 km, how far north had it actually gone?

Practice Test Answers

1. e (radians) sin e cos e tan e
(a) rr/3 0.S7 0.50 1.70
(b) = 0.925
53rr/1S0 O.SO 0.60 1.30
(c) 37rr/1S0 = 0.646 0.60 O.SO 0.75

2. B = 7.0. a = 44°. b = 46°.

3 . 2. 05 in., 5. 6 in.
4. Ratio of hypotenuse to each side = 12 : 1.
5. a = 513.
6. 30 km.

If you have had difficulties with the Practice Test, please work through this
Review Module once more, with the assistance of any general mathematics book
including a chapter on trigonometry.
 REVIEW MODULE: Trigonometry 7

SELF-CHECK TEST ANSWERS

1. (a) rr/6 rad; (b) 135°; (e) 5rr/4 rad; (d) 300°.
2. (a) sin 6 = 1, 6 = rr/2 or 90°; cos 6 = 1, 6 = 0 or 0°;
tan 6 ~ 00, 6 ~ rr/2 or 90°.
(( (b) sin 3rr/4 maximum, cos 30° maximum, tan 225° maximum.

3. (a) The sides are in the ratio of 3 . 4 : 5. (b) 20 em, 16 em.

4. 7.7 em, 9.2 em.

5. (a) /3, (b) 30°, 60°, 90°; one side = (1/2) hypotenuse.
6. 497 m.
7. x!r = cos 6, y/r = sin 6, x2 + y2 = r2;
or
x2/r2 + y2/r2 = 1.
Thus, eos 2 6 + sin 2 6 = 1.
REVIEW MODULE: Trigonometry 8

NATURAL T~GONOMETRIC FUNCTIONS

Angle Angle
De- Ra- Co- Tan- De- Ra- Ca- Tan-
gree dian Sine sine gent gree dian Sine sine gent
O· 0.000 0.000 1.000 0.000
l' 0.017 0.017 1.000 0.017 ,!6' 0.S03 0.719 0.695 1.036
2' 0035 0.035 0.999 0.035 47' 0.820 0.731 0.682 1.072
3' 0.052 0.052 0.999 0.052 48' 0.838 0.i43 0.669 1.111
4' 0.070 0.070 0998 0.070 49' 0.855 0.755 0.656 1.150
5' 0.087 0087 0.996 0.087 50' 0.873 0.766 0.643 1. W2
6' 0.105 0.105 0995 0.105 51' 0.890 0.777 0.629 1. 2:35
7' 0.122 0.122 0.993 0.12:1 52' 0.908 0.788 0.616 1.2SO
8' O. :140 0.139 0.990 0.141 53' 0925 0.799 0.602 1.327
9' 0.157 0.156 0.988 0.158 54' 0.942 0.809 0.588 1.376
10' 0.175 0.1i4 0.985 0.176 55' 0.960 0.8W 0.574 1.428
11' OW2 o.Wl 0.!l82 O. W4 56' 0.977 0.829 0.559 1.483
12' 0.209 0.208 0.978 0.21:3 57' 0995 0.8.'39 0.545 1.540
1:3' 0.227 0.225 0.974 0.2:31 58' 1.012 0.848 0.530 1.600
14' 0.244 0.242 0.970 0.249 59' 1.030 0.857 0.515 1. 6(j4
15' 0.262 0.259 0.966 0.268 60' 1.047 0.866 0.500 1.732
16' 0.27!l 0.276 0.961 0.287 61' 1.065 0.875 0.485 1.804
17' 0.297 0.2!l2 0.956 0.300 62' 1.082 0.883 0.469 1.881
18' 0.314 0.309 0.951 0.325 63' 1.100 0.891 0.454 1.963
19' 0.332 0.326 0.946 0.344 64' 1.117 0.899 0.438 2.050
20' 0.349 0.342 0.940 0.364 65' 1.134 0.906 0.423 2.145
21' 0.367 0358 0.\)34 0.384 66' 1.152 0.914 0.407 2.246
22' 0.384 0.375 0.927 0.404 67' 1.169 0.921 0.391 2.356
23' 0.401 0.391 0.921 0.424 68' 1.187 0927 0.:n5 2.475
24' 0.419 0.407 0.914 0.445 69' 1.204 0.934 0.358 2.605
25' 0.4:36 . 0.42:3 0.900 0.466 70' 1.222 0.940 0.342 2. i48
26' 0.454 0438 0.899 0.488 71' 1.239 0.946 0.326 2.904
27' 0.471 0.454 0.8!1l 0.510 72' 1.257 0.951 0.309 :1.078
28' 0.489 0.469 0.883 0.5:32 7:3' 1.274 0.956 0.292 :3.271
29' 0.506 0.485 0.875 0.554 74' 1.292 0.961 0.276 :1.487
30' 0.524 0500 0.866 0.577 75' 1.309 0.966 0259 3.732
31' 0.541 0.515 0.857 0.601 76' 1.326 0.970 0.242 4.011
:32' 0.559 0.530 0848 0.625 77° 1.344 0.974 0.225 4.332
:l3' 0.576 0.545 0.839 0.649 78' 1.361 0978 0.208 4.705
34' 0593 0.559 0.829 0.675 79' 1.379 0.982 O. WI 5.145
35' 0.611 0.574 0.8W 0.700 SO' 1.396 0.985 0.174 5.671
36' 0.628 0.588 0.80H 0.727 81' 1.414 0.988 0.156 6.314
37' 0.646 0.602 0709 0.754 82' 1.431 0.990 0.139 i .115
38' 0663 0.616 0.788 0.781 8.'3' 1.449 0.993 0.122 8.144
39' 0.G81 0.629 0777 0.810 84' 1.466 0995 0.105 9.514
40' 0.698 0.643 0.766 0.839 85' 1.484 0.996 0.087 11.43
41' 0.716 0.656 0.755 0.86H 86' 1.501 0.998 0.070 14.30
42' 0.733 0.669 0.743 0.900 87' 1.518 0.999 0.052 19.08
43' 0.750 0.682 0.731 0.93:1 88' 1.536 0.999 0.035 28.64
44' 0.768 0.695 0.719 0.966 89' 1.553 1.000 0.017 57.29
45' 0.785 0.707 0.707 1.000 90' 1. 571 I 1 000 0.000