Trigonometric Functions

If in a circle of radius r, an arc of length l subtends an angle of u radians, then l =

ru.
Radian measure =

Degree measure
180

Degree measure =
180
Radian measure

A degree is divided into 60 minutes and a minute is divided into 60 seconds.
One sixtieth of a degree is called a minute, written as1' , and one sixtieth of a
minute is called a second, written as1'' .
Thus,
0
1 60 and 1 60 ' ' '' = =
Domain and Range of trigonometric functions:

Trigonometric function Domain Range
sin x R
[1, 1]
cos x R
[1, 1]
tan x R
(2 1)
: ,
2
n
x x n
+
= e
`
)
Z R
cot x
R {x : x = nt, n e Z}
R
sec x R
(2 1)
: ,
2
n
x x n
+
= e
`
)
Z
R [1, 1]
cosec x
R {x : x = nt, n e Z} R [1, 1]

Signs of trigonometric functions in different quadrants:

Trigonometric
function
Quadrant
I
Quadrant
II
Quadrant
III
Quadrant
IV
sin x
+ ve
(Increases
from 0 to 1)
+ ve
(Decreases
from 1 to 0)
ve
(Decreases
from 0 to 1)
ve
(Increases
from 1 to 0)
cos x
+ ve
(Decreases
from 1 to 0)
ve
(Decreases
from 0 to 1)
ve
(Increases
from 1 to 0)
+ ve
(Increases
from 0 to 1)
tan x
+ ve
(Increases
ve
(Increases
+ ve
(Increases
ve
(Increases


from 0 to ) from to 0) from 0 to ) from to 0)
cot x
+ ve
(Decreases
from to 0)
ve
(Decreases
from 0 to )
+ ve
(Decreases
from to 0)
ve
(Decreases
from 0 to )
sec x
+ ve
(Increases
from 1 to )
ve
(Increases
from to
1)
ve
(Decreases
from 1 to
)
+ ve
(Decreases
from to 1)
cosec x
+ ve
(Decreases
from to 1)
+ ve
(Increases
from 1 to )
ve
(Increases
from to
1)
ve
(Decreases
from 1 to
)

Example:
If
1 3
sin where
2 3
u u = < < , then find the value of 3tan 3sec u u .

Solution:
Since u lies in the third quadrant, tanu is positive and secu (or secu) is
negative.
2 2
2
2
cos sin 1
cos 1 sin
1 1 2
cos 1 1
3 3 3
2
cos
3
3
sec
2
1
sin 1
3
tan
cos 2 2
3
1 3 3 3
3tan 3sec 3 3 3 2
2 2 2 2
u u
u u
u
u
u
u
u
u
u u
+ =
=
| |
= = =
|
\ .
=
=

= = =

| |
= = + =
|
|
\ .


Example:
Find the value of cos390 cos 510 + sin 390 cos (660).



Solution:
( )
( )
( )
( ) ( )
( )
3
cos390 cos 2 180 30 cos30
2
3
cos510 cos 3 180 30 cos30
2
1
sin390 sin 2 180 30 sin30
2
1
cos 660 cos 660 cos 4 180 60 cos 60
2
cos390 cos510 sin390 cos 660
3 3 1 1
2 2 2 2
= + = =
= = =
= + = =
= = = =
+
| |
| | | |
= +
|
| |
|
\ . \ .
\ .
=
3 1
4 4
2
4
1
2
+
=
=

Trigonometric identities and formulas:

1
cosec
sin
x
x
=

1
sec
cos
x
x
=

sin
tan
cos
x
x
x
=

1 cos
cot
tan sin
x
x
x x
= =
cos
2
x + sin
2
x = 1
1 + tan
2
x = sec
2
x

2 2
1 cot cos ec x x + =
cos(2 ) cos n x x + = , n e Z
sin(2 ) sin n x x + = , n e Z
sin (x) = sin x
cos (x) = cos x
cos (x + y) = cos x cos y sin x sin y
cos (x y) = cos x cos y + sin x sin y

cos sin
2
x x
| |
=
|
\ .

sin cos
2
x x
| |
=
|
\ .

sin (x + y) = sin x cos y + cos x sin y
sin (x y) = sin x cos y cos x sin y

cos sin
2
x x
| |
+ =
|
\ .

sin cos
2
x x
| |
+ =
|
\ .

cos( ) cos x x =
sin( ) sin x x =
cos( ) cos x x + =
sin( ) sin x x + =
cos(2 ) cos x x =
sin(2 ) sin x x =
If none of the angles x, y and ( ) x y is an odd multiple of

2
, then
tan tan
tan( )
1 tan tan
x y
x y
x y
+
+ =

, and
tan tan
tan( )
1 tan tan
x y
x y
x y

=
+

If none of the angles x, y and ( ) x y is a multiple of t, then
cot cot 1
cot( )
cot cot
x y
x y
y x

+ =
+
, and
cot cot 1
cot( )
cot cot
x y
x y
y x
+
=

2
2 2 2 2
2
1 tan
cos 2 cos sin 2cos 1 1 2sin
1 tan
x
x x x x x
x

= = = =
+

In particular,
2
2 2 2 2
2
1 tan
2
cos cos sin 2cos 1 1 2sin
2 2 2 2
1 tan
2
x
x x x x
x
x

= = = =
+


2
2tan
sin 2 2sin cos
1 tan
x
x x x
x
= =
+

In particular,
2
2tan
2
sin 2sin cos
2 2
1 tan
2
x
x x
x
x
= =
+


2
2tan
tan 2
1 tan
x
x
x
=

In particular,
2
2tan
2
tan
1 tan
2
x
x
x
=

sin 3x = 3 sin x 4 sin
3
x
cos 3x = 4 cos
3
x 3 cos x

3
2
3tan tan
tan3
1 3tan
x x
x
x

Example:
Prove that
1 sin cos
cot
1 sin cos 2
u u u
u u
+ +
=
+


Solution:
( )
( )
2 2 2 2
2
2
cos 2cos 1 1 2sin cos 2 2cos 1 1 2sin
2 2
sin 2sin cos sin 2 2sin cos
2 2
1 sin cos
1 sin cos
1 cos sin
1 cos sin
2cos 2sin cos
2 2 2
2sin 2sin cos
2 2 2
2cos cos sin
2 2 2
2sin sin co
2 2
u u
u u u u
u u
u u u u
u u
u u
u u
u u
u u u
u u u
u u u
u u
= = = =
= =
+ +
+
+ +
=
+
+
=
+
| |
+
|
\ .
=
+ s
2
cot
2
u
u
| |
|
\ .
=

Some more trigonometric identities:
cos cos 2cos cos
2 2
x y x y
x y
+
+ =
cos cos 2sin sin
2 2
x y x y
x y
+
=
sin sin 2sin cos
2 2
x y x y
x y
+
+ =
sin sin 2cos sin
2 2
x y x y
x y
+
=


From the above four identities, we can derive the following more identities:
2 cos x cosy = cos (x + y) + cos (x y)
2 sin x sin y = cos (x + y) cos (x y)
2 sin x cos y = sin (x + y) + sin (x y)
2 cos x sin y = sin (x + y) sin (x y)
Example: Prove that
2
2
sin8 sin10
1 cosec
cos8 cos10
x x
x
x x
+ | |
+ =
|

\ .


Solution:
Consider
sin8 sin10
cos8 cos10
x x
x x
+

8 10 8 10
2sin cos
2 2
(Using theidentities)
8 10 8 10
2sin sin
2 2
x x x x
x x x x
+ | | | |
| |
\ . \ .
=
+ | | | |

| |
\ . \ .

sin9 cos( )
sin9 sin( )
cos
[ sin( ) sin and cos( ) cos ]
sin
cot ... (1)
x x
x x
x
x x x x
x
x

=

= = =
=


Now, consider the L.H.S of the given equation.
2
2
2 2 2
sin8 sin10
LHS 1
cos8 cos10
1 cot [By equation (1)]
cos ec ( 1 cot cosec )
x x
x x
x
x x x
+ | |
= +
|

\ .
= +
= + =

Hence, it is proved.
General solutions of some trigonometric equations:
sin 0 x x n = = , where neZ

cos 0 (2 1) ,
2
x x n = = + where neZ
sin sin ( 1)
n
x y x n y = = + , where neZ
cos cos 2 x y x n y = = , where neZ
tan tan x y x n y = = + , where neZ

Example 1: Solve cot x cos
2
x = 2 cot x

Solution:


2
2
2
2
cot cos 2cot
cot cos 2cot 0
cot (cos 2) 0
cot 0 or cos 2
cos
0 or cos 2
sin
cos 0 or cos 2
x x x
x x x
x x
x x
x
x
x
x x
=
=
=
= =
= =
= =

Now,

cos 0 (2 1) ,
2
x x n = = + where neZ
Andcos 2 x =

But this is not possible as 1 cos 1 x s s
Thus, the solution of the given trigonometric equation is ( )

2 1 ,
2
x n = +
where neZ.

Example 2:
Solve sin 2x + sin 4x + sin 6x = 0.

Solution:
( )
( )
sin 4 sin 2 sin 6 0
2 6 2 6
sin 4 2sin cos 0
2 2
sin 4 2sin 4 cos 2 0
sin 4 1 2cos 2 0
sin 4 0 or 1 2cos 2 0
1
sin 4 0 or cos2
2
sin 4 0
4 ,

,
4
1
cos 2
2
2
cos 2 cos
3
2
2 2
3
x x x
x x x x
x
x x x
x x
x x
x x
x
x n n
n
x n
x
x
x m
+ + =
+ | | | |
+ =
| |
\ . \ .
+ =
+ =
= + =
= =
=
= e
= e
=
=
=
Z
Z
,

,
3
m
x m m
e
= e
Z
Z



Thus,

or
4 3
n
x x m = = , where m, n e Z