MA1200 Calculus and Basic Linear Algebra I

Chapter 4 Trigonometric Functions and Inverse Trigonometric Functions

1 Trigonometric Functions

1. In elementary trigonometry, the trigonometric functions are defined as the ratios of sides of a
right-angled triangle and the angles are restricted to acute angles.

2. The six trigonometric functions are called sine, cosine, tangent, cosecant, secant and cotangent,
which are written as sin, cos, tan, csc (or cosec), sec and cot respectively. We define their angles of
any magnitude as follows:

Second quadrant First quadrant

P ( x, y ) y x y
r
sin   cos   tan  
y  r r x
x r r x
x O csc   sec   cot  
y x y

Third quadrant Fourth quadrant Figure 1

where r is taken to be positive, and the signs of x and y depend on the quadrant in which the point
P lies.

3. With the above definitions, the signs of the six trigonometric ratios in four quadrants are tabulated
below.
1st quadrant 2nd quadrant 3rd quadrant 4th quadrant
sin , csc     
cos , sec     
tan , cot     

Remark We may indicate the positive functions in each quadrant with a diagram. The word CAST is the
key for memory.

The followings are special angles of sine, cosine and tangent and have to be memorized:
30 45 60
sin 1/ 2 2/2 3/2
cos 3/2 2/2 1/ 2
tan 3/3 1 3

1
Radian Measures s
A radian, denoted by rad, is the measure of an angle C
subtended at the centre of a circle by an arc with
length equal to its radius. r 
r D
O

s
If the length of the arc CD is s and COD   , where  is measure in radian, then   .
r
s r
In particular, if   180 , then s   r . It follows that      , so that  rad  180 .
r r

Example 1 (a) Convert the following angles to radians.

(i) 30 (ii) 45 (iii) 90 (iv) 210
(b) Convert the following angles to degrees.
5 3 5 3
(i) rad (ii) rad (iii) rad (iv) rad
12 2 6 4
Solutions
   
(a) (i) 30  30  rad = rad (ii) 45  45  rad = rad
180 6 180 4
   7
(iii) 90  90  rad = rad (iv) 210  210  rad = rad
180 2 180 6
5 5 180 3 3 180
(b) (i) rad =   75 (ii) rad =   270
12 12  2 2 
5 5 180 3 3 180
(iii) rad =   150 (iv) rad =   135
6 6  4 4 

2
A Graph of the Trigonometric Functions
The graphs of f  x   sin x , f x   cos x and f x   tan x are drawn.
(a) f  x   sin x
Its domain is R and its range is [–1, 1]. Its period is 2 .
Since f  x   sin  x    sin x , therefore, f  x   sin x is odd.

y  sin x
(b) f x   cos x
Its domain is R and its range is [–1, 1]. Its period is 2 .
Since f  x   cos x   cos x , therefore, f x   cos x is even.

y  cos x

(c) f x   tan x
Its range is R. Its period is  . Question: What is the domain of f  x   tan x ?
Since f  x   tan  x    tan x , therefore, f x   tan x is odd.

y  tan x

Questions: For each of the functions below, (a) plot its graph; (b) find its domain and range;
(c) find its period.
(ii) f x   sin (iv) f x   cos
x x
(i) f  x   sin 2 x (iii) f  x   cos 3 x
3 5
   
f  x   tan (vi) f  x   2 sin  x    1 (vii) f  x   cos 2 x  
x
(v)
2  4  2

3
The graphs of y  cot x , y  sec x and y  csc x are also drawn.

y  cot x

y  sec x

y  csc x

4
B Elementary formulae
I. Review

sin2 + cos2 = 1 1 + tan2 = sec2 1 + cot2 = csc2

sin  cos 1 1 1
tan   cot   csc  sec  cot  
cos sin  sin  cos tan 
sin( )   sin  cos( )  cos tan( )   tan   rad  180

Example 2 Prove the following identities.

(a) sin x tan x  cot x   sec x
tan x
(b)  sin x cos x
1  tan 2 x

Solutions
 sin x cos x   sin 2 x  cos 2 x 
(a) sin x tan x  cot x   sin x
1
   sin x    sec x .
 cos x sin x   sin x cos x  cos x
sin x
tan x sin x
(b)  cos2x   cos 2 x  sin x cos x .
1  tan x sec x cos x
2

n
II. Trigonometric Functions of (90n  ) or (  )
2
To remember the formulae, always remember “Odd changed Even unchanged, sign refers to CAST.”


Trigonometric Functions of (90  ) or (  )
2
 
90 –  (or – ) 90 +  (or + )
2 2
sin cos cos

cos sin –sin

tan cot –cot

Question: How about csc(90  ), sec(90  ) and cot(90  )?

Trigonometric Functions of (180  ) or (  )

180 –  (or  – ) 180 +  (or  + )

sin sin –sin

cos –cos –cos

tan –tan tan

Question: How about csc(180  ), sec(180  ) and cot(180  )?

5
 Trigonometric Functions of (360  ) or (2  )

360 –  (or 2 – ) 360 +  (or 2 + )

sin –sin sin

cos cos cos

tan –tan tan

Question: How about csc(360  ), sec(360  ) and cot(360  )?

Important: You can remember easily whether a –ve sign should be resulted by realizing whether the value
obtained from the function should be –ve in the corresponding quadrant.

Example 3 Evaluate the following.

5   
(a) sin(–30) (b) tan(–135) (c) cos   (d) sec  
4   3
Solutions
1
(a) sin(–30) = –sin 30 = 
2
(b) tan(–135) = –tan 135 = –tan(180 – 45) = –(–tan 45) = 1
5      2
(c) cos   = cos    =  cos  = 
4   4 4 2
  1 1
(d) sec   = = =2
 3  cos     
  cos 
 3 3

Example 4 Simplify the following expressions.

cos360  Asin 90  A tan  A  180
(a) 1 + tan2(270 – ) (b)
sin  Asin 180  A cot  A
 3 
cos A   cot  A   
(c)  2 
 
tan  A  
 2

Solutions
(a) 1 + tan2(270 – ) = 1 + [tan(270 – )]2 = 1 + [cot]2 = 1 + cot2 = csc2
cos360  Asin 90  A tan  A  180 cos A cos A tan 180  A
(b) =
sin  Asin 180  A cot  A  sin A sin A cot A
 cos 2 A tan 180  A  cos 2 A tan A
=  tan A =  tan A = –1
 sin 2 A sin 2 A
 3   3 
cos A   cot  A    cos  A  cot   A
(c)  2 
=  2  =
 sin Acot A = sin A
   cot A  cot A
tan  A  
 2

6
2 Inverse Trigonometric Functions
The inverse sine (or arcsine) function, denoted by sin 1 (or arcsin), is defined by
y  sin 1 x if and only if x  sin y
 
for  1  x  1 and  y .
2 2
The inverse cosine (or arccosine) function, denoted by cos 1 (or arccos), is defined by
y  cos 1 x if and only if x  cos y
for  1  x  1 and 0  y   .

The inverse tangent (or arctangent) function, denoted by tan 1 (or arctan), is defined by
y  tan 1 x if and only if x  tan y
 
for every real number x and for  y .
2 2

Question: What is the domain and range for y  sin 1 x , y  cos 1 x and y  tan 1 x ?

Remarks:
1
1. Note that sin 1 x  (similarly for cos 1 x and tan 1 x .)
sin x
2. The ranges of the inverse trigonometric functions are known as the principal ranges.

Question: Find the values of each of the following.

 3
(a) sin 1  
 (b) sin 1 sin 30   (c) sin 1 sin 390  
 2 
 3
(d) cos 1  
2

 (e)  
cos 1 cos  45   (f)  
sin 1 cos 390  
 

(g) tan 1  3  (h) tan 1 tan 225  

7
3 Trigonometric Identities
A. Formulae for sin(A  B), cos(A  B) and tan(A  B)
Please note that sin(A  B)  sin A  sin B and cos(A  B)  cos A  cos B.
e.g. sin(30 + 60) = sin 90 = 1
1 3
but sin 30 + sin 60 = +
2 2
1

In general, we have the following Compound Angle Formulae.

sin(A – B) = sin A cos B – cos A sin B

sin(A + B) = sin A cos B + cos A sin B

cos(A – B) = cos A cos B + sin A sin B

cos(A + B) = cos A cos B – sin A sin B

tan A  tan B
tan  A  B  
1  tan A tan B
tan A  tan B
tan  A  B  
1  tan A tan B

Example 5 Simplify the following expressions.

cos 2 A  sin 2 A
(a) cos(x + y) cos y + sin(x + y) sin y (b)
cos 3 A cos A  sin 3 A sin A
Solutions
(a) cos(x + y) cos y + sin(x + y) sin y = cos[(x + y) – y] = cos x
cos 2 A  sin 2 A cos A cos A  sin A sin A
(b) =
cos 3 A cos A  sin 3 A sin A cos 3 A cos A  sin 3 A sin A
cos A  A
=
cos3 A  A
cos 2 A
=
cos 2 A
=1

Example 6 Prove that sin(30 + x) + cos(60 + x) – cos x = 0

Solution
L.H.S. = sin(30 + x) + cos(60 + x) – cos x
= [sin 30 cos x + cos 30 sin x] + [cos 60 cos x – sin 60 sin x] – cos x
1 3 1 3
= cos x  sin x  cos x  sin x  cos x
2 2 2 2
=0
= R.H.S.
 sin(30 + x) + cos(60 + x) – cos x  0

8
Example 7 Find the value of the following in surd form.
5
(a) sin 15 (b) cos
12
Solutions
(a) sin 15 = sin (45 – 30)
= sin 45 cos 30 – cos 45 sin 30
 2  3   2  1  6 2
=  


 
  =

 2  2   2  2  4
5  
(b) Note that   . Therefore,
12 4 6
5       
cos = cos   = cos cos  sin sin
12 4 6 4 6 4 6
 2  3   2  1  6 2 6 2
=  


 
  =
  =
 2  2   2  2  4 4 4

B. Double and half angle formulae

Double angle formulae
Note that sin 2A = sin(A + A)
= sin A cos A + cos A sin A
= 2 sin A cos A
and cos 2A = cos(A + A)
= cos A cos A – sin A sin A
= cos2A – sin2A
So, we have
sin 2 A  2 sin A cos A
cos 2 A  cos 2 A  sin 2 A

Half angle formulae

Note that
A A A A
cos A = cos 2  sin 2 cos A = cos 2  sin 2
2 2 2 2
A  A  A A
= cos 2  1  cos 2  = 1  sin 2   sin 2
2  2  2 2
A A
= 2 cos 2  1 = 1  2 sin 2
2 2
So, we have
 1  cos A
A 1
cos 2
2 2

 1  cos A
A 1
sin 2
2 2

9
Example 8 Prove the following identities.
x 1 1
(a) 2 sin 2  tan x  tan x  sin x (b) sin 2  cos 2    cos 4
2 8 8
Solutions
x
(a) L.H.S. = 2 sin 2  tan x = 1  cos x   tan x
2
sin x
= tan x  cos x  = tan x  sin x = R.H.S.
cos x
x
 2 sin 2  tan x  tan x  sin x
2
L.H.S. = sin  cos 2  = sin  cos 
2 2
(b)
2
1  1
=  sin 2  = sin 2 2
2  4
=  1  cos 4  =  cos 4 = R.H.S.
1 1 1 1
4 2 8 8
1 1
 sin 2  cos 2    cos 4
8 8

C. Sum-to-product and product-to-sum formulae

Using the formulae for sin(A  B) and cos(A  B), we have the following.

sin A cos B 
1
sin A  B   sin A  B 
2
cos A sin B  sin  A  B   sin  A  B 
1
2
cos A cos B  cos A  B   cos A  B 
1
2
sin A sin B   cos A  B   cos A  B 
1
2

These are called the Product-to-Sum Formulae.

x y x y
sin x  sin y  2 sin  cos 
 2   2 
x y x y
sin x  sin y  2 cos  sin  
 2   2 
x y x y
cos x  cos y  2 cos  cos 
 2   2 
x y x y
cos x  cos y  2 sin   sin  
 2   2 

These are called the Sum-to-Product Formulae.

10
Example 9 Prove the following identities.
sin 4  sin 2 sin  x  y   sin x  y 
(a)  tan 3 (b)  tan x cot y
cos 4  cos 2 sin x  y   sin x  y 

Solutions
sin 4  sin 2
(a) L.H.S. =
cos 4  cos 2
4  2 4  2
2 sin cos
2 2 2 sin 3 cos
= =
4  2 4  2 2 cos 3 cos
2 cos cos
2 2
= tan 3
= R.H.S.
sin 4  sin 2
  tan 3
cos 4  cos 2

sin  x  y   sin  x  y 
(b) L.H.S. =
sin x  y   sin  x  y 
 x  y   x  y   x  y   x  y 
2 sin   cos  
=  2   2 
 x  y   x  y   x  y   x  y 
2 cos   sin  
 2   2 
2 sin x cos y
=
2 cos x sin y
= tan x cot y
= R.H.S.
sin  x  y   sin  x  y 
  tan x cot y
sin x  y   sin  x  y 

4 Trigonometric Equations and Their Solutions

A trigonometric equation is an equation that contains a trigonometric expression with a variable, such as
cos x . The values that satisfy such an equation are its solutions.

1
Consider the trigonometric equation sin x  .
2

1
y
2

11
 in 0, 2  are
1
It can be observed that the solutions of sin x 
2
 5 
x and .x   
6 6 6
Since the graph of y  sin x is periodic of 2 , any multiple of 2 added to the two values above are
1
still the solutions of the equation. We can express the solutions for the equation sin x  as
2

x  n   1
n
. (n is any integer)
6
This is the general solution for the equation.

The following lists the general solutions for the given trigonometric equations.

Trigonometric Equation General Solution

  n   1n  ,
sin   k , where  1  k  1  
where n is any integer,  sin and  .
2 2
  2 n   ,
cos   k , where  1  k  1
where n is any integer,  cos and 0  .
  n   ,
tan   k  
where n is any integer,  tan and  .
2 2

Example 10
Solve each of the following equations.
x 3
(a) sin  (b) 2 cos 2 x  cos x  1  0
3 2
(c) cos 2 x  3 sin x  2  0 , 0  x  2 .

Solutions
 3 
(a) Notice that sin 1    , so that

 2  3
n 
 n   1  x  3n   1  , where n is any integer.
x n

3 3
(b) 2 cos 2 x  cos x  1  0
2 cos x  1cos x  1  0
2 cos x  1  0 or cos x  1  0
1
cos x  or cos x  1
2

x  2 n  or x  2 n  
3

 The solution is x  2n  or x  2n  1 , where n is any integer.
3

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(c) Consider cos 2 x  3 sin x  2  0 .
1  2 sin 2 x  3 sin x  2  0
2 sin 2 x  3 sin x  1  0
2 sin x  1sin x  1  0
2 sin x  1  0 or sin x  1  0
1
sin x  or sin x  1
2
 
x  n   1 x  n   1
n n
or
6 2
Now, as 0  x  2 , the solution is
  5 
x  , x    , x
6 6 6 2

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