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THE
ESSENTIAL
TRIGONOMETRY
REFERENCE
SHEET
Look for these other great reference sheets, coming soon:

Essential Geometry Reference Sheet

Essential Sequences & Series Reference Sheet
Rectangular Functions Reference Sheet
Polar Functions Reference Sheet
Essential Derivatives & Integrals Reference Sheet

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 Essential Trigonometry Reference Sheet
Essential Trigonometry Reference Sheet ©2002 Platonic Realms™/Math Academy Online™
TRIGONOMETRY evolved from the study of triangles, and has to do with both angle measurement π/2 = 90o
2π/3 = 120o π/3 = 60o
and with certain natural functions defined on angles.
3π/4 = 135o π/4 = 45o
ANGLES Given two line segments with a common endpoint, the angle between them is defined to be 5π/6 = 150o π/6 = 30o
the amount by which one segment must be rotated about the common endpoint to make it coincide with
the other line segment. The angle is positive if the turning is counterclockwise, and negative if π = 180o 0 = 0o
clockwise. If the common endpoint is the center of a circle, a right angle subtends ¼ of the circle, and a 2π = 360o

straight angle subtends ½ of the circle. In classical degree measure, a straight angle contains 180°. In
7π/6 = 210o 11π/6 = 330o
modern radian measure, a straight angle contains π radians. Equivalently, an angle of 1 radian 5π/4 = 225o 7π/4 = 315o
subtends an arc of the circle of arclength equal to the circle’s radius. 4π/3 = 240o 5π/3 = 300o
3π/2 = 270o

RADIANS/DEGREES CONVERSION Use the formula at right, plugging in the known quantity and radians = π
degrees 180
solving for the unknown quantity.
REFERENCE ANGLES It is often convenient to consider the angle
IDENTITIES & EQUIVALENCES
reference angle of an angle; this is defined as the smallest angle
reference REDUCTION FORMULAS
to the terminating side from the horizontal (and may therefore angle
be negative). sin(π/2 − φ) = cos φ sin(π/2 + φ) = cos φ

TRIG FUNCTIONS Sine Cosecant cos(π/2 − φ) = sin φ cos(π/2 + φ) = − sin φ

Referring to the figure, tan(π/2 − φ) = cot φ tan(π/2 + φ) = − cot φ
the six trigonometric
functions are defined as sin(π − φ) = sin φ sin(π + φ) = − sin φ
indicated. cos(π − φ) = − cos φ cos(π + φ) = − cos φ
(x,y) tan(π − φ) = − tan φ tan(π + φ) = tan φ
y
r
FUNDAMENTAL PYTHAGOREAN
φ Cosine Secant EQUIVALENCES IDENTITIES
x csc φ = 1/ sin φ sin2 φ + cos2 φ = 1
sec φ = 1/ cos φ 1 + tan2 φ = sec2 φ

tan φ = sin φ/ cos φ 1 + cot2 φ = csc2 φ

y opposite
sin φ = = cot φ = cos φ/ sin φ
r hypotenuse HALF ANGLE
x adjacent cot φ = 1/ tan φ FORMULAS
cos φ = =
r hypotenuse Tangent Cotangent 1 − cos 2φ
sec φ =
r
=
hypotenuse DOUBLE ANGLE sin2 φ =
x adjacent FORMULAS
2
1 + cos 2φ
csc φ =
r
=
hypotenuse sin 2φ = 2 sin φ cos φ cos2 φ =
y opposite 2
y opposite cos 2φ = cos2 φ − sin2 φ tan2 φ = 1 − cos 2φ
tan φ = = 1 + cos 2φ
x adjacent
x adjacent = 1 − 2 sin2 φ sin2 2φ
cot φ = = =
y opposite = 2 cos2 −1φ (1 + cos 2φ)2
2 tan φ (1 − cos 2φ)2
TRIG FUNCTION Arcsine Arccosine Arctangent tan 2φ = =
1 + tan2 φ sin2 2φ
INVERSES Denoted
either as arcsin or sin-1, ANGLE SUM & DIFFERENCE
etc., these satisfy sin(φ + ψ) = sin φ cos ψ + cos φ sin ψ
sin φ = x ↔ φ = sin−1 x
cos(φ + ψ) = cos φ cos ψ − sin φ sin ψ
cos φ = x ↔ φ = cos−1 x tan φ + tan ψ
tan(φ + ψ)
sin(φ − ψ) = sin φ cos ψ − cos φ sin
1 − tan φ tan ψ
tan φ = x ↔ φ = tan−1 x
cos(φ − ψ) = cos φ cos ψ + sin φ sin ψ
on their respective common tan φ − tan ψ
domains, and similarly for tan(φ − ψ) =
1 + tan φ tan ψ
arccsc, arcsec, and arccot.
domain: [-1,1] domain: [-1,1] domain: (-∞ , ∞) FUNCTION PRODUCT, SUM, & DIFFERENCE
range: [-π/2,π/2] range: [0,π] range: (-π/2,π/2) 1
sin φ cos ψ = [sin(φ + ψ) + sin(φ − ψ)]
2
LAW OF SINES
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SOME ANGLES GOOD TO KNOW 1

cos φ sin ψ = [sin(φ + ψ) − sin(φ − ψ)]
a b c 2
sin(0) = cos(π/2) = 0 π/3 = 60o = = 1
sin α sin β sin γ cos φ cos ψ = [cos(φ + ψ) + cos(φ − ψ)]
π/6 = 30 o 2
sin(π/2) = cos(0) = 1 1
LAW OF COSINES sin φ sin ψ = − [cos(φ + ψ) − cos(φ − ψ)]
sin(3π/2) = cos(π) = −1 2
π/4 = 45o 1 1
sin(π/6) = cos(π/3) = 1
2
c2 = a2 + b2 − 2ab cos γ sin φ + sin ψ = 2 sin (φ + ψ) cos (φ − ψ)]
2 2
√
3 1 1
sin(π/3) = cos(π/6) = sin φ − sin ψ = 2 cos (φ + ψ) sin (φ − ψ)]
2
√ γ 2 2
sin(π/4) = cos(π/4) = 2 a b 1 1
2 cos φ + cos ψ = 2 cos (φ + ψ) cos (φ − ψ)]
2 2
tan(π/4) = cot(π/4) = 1 π/4 = 45o β α 1 1
c cos φ − cos ψ = −2 sin (φ + ψ) sin (φ − ψ)]
2 2