Appendix

Definition of Trigonometry
Preliminary Concepts
1.1 Angles
1.2 Pythagorean Theorem
1.3 Distance on Coordinate Plane

Logarithms
2.1 Logarithmic Forms

Definition of Trigonometry
Trigonometry - Literally means triangle measurement is a branch of mathematics which treats of the solutions of triangles. It
further includes mathematical investigation by means if the six trigonometric functions. These functions are as follows:
Primary Functions
Sine (sin)
Cosine (cos)
Tangent (tan)

Secondary Functions
Secant (sec)
Cosecant (csc)
Cotangent (cot)

All six functions have three-letter abbreviations (shown in parentheses above).

2.1 Angles
Angle is the union of two rays meeting at
common point called the vertex. The two
rays are called the terminal and the initial
sides of an angle as indicated Fig. 1.1.1.

o
origin

Fig. 1.1.1

The degree measure is indicated

by a tiny circle placed in the
upper right corner of the
number. The size of an angle is
indicated by the amount of
rotating the terminal side from
the initial side.

A horizontal line is sometimes called the real line. This line is divided into two
equal rays by a point called the origin denoted as 0. The right ray of the
horizontal line is usually the start of the measuring angles . Angles between
0 to 90 is said to terminate in quadrant I; 90 to 180 in quadrant II; 180
to 270 in quadrant III; and 270to 360 in quadrant IV; 360 to 450 in
quadrant I; etc. some illustration were give in Fig. 1.1.2.

90
y

II - 90 to 180

I - 0 to 90

180

0 x
360

III - 180 to 270

IV - 270 to 360

270

Fig 1.1.2

Kinds of Angles

Acute Angle - an angle between 0 to 90

Right Angle - an angle measuring exactly 90
Obtuse Angle - an angle measuring between 90 to 180
Straight Angle - an angle measuring exactly 180
Reflex Angle - an angle measuring between 180 to 360

Special Angles
There are certain measures of angles whose
trigonometric functions produce special
values. We shall after refer to these as
special angles as indicated in Fig. 1.1.3

Multiples of 30
y
150

Multiples of 60
120

60

135

30
0 x

Multiples of 45
45

0 x

0 x

330
210
240

300

315

225
270

Fig 1.1.3

Properties of Angles
An angle measured in counter clockwise
direction is said to have a positive measure ; if
the direction is clockwise, the measure is
negative. Illustrated in Fig 1.1.4

-360
0 x
-45

180

0
-150

x
-240

-90

Fig 1.1.4

One revolution or one complete round is

equivalent to 360.
For example:
1 rev
450 = 450 x --------- =1.25 or 1 --- revolution, and
360
360
2.5 rev = 2.5 rev x --------- = 900
1 rev

1.2 Pythagorean Theorem

In general, there are only two types of triangle.
Right Triangle- a triangle with a right angle.
Oblique Triangle- a triangle without a right angle.
Oblique triangles are classified as follows:
Acute Triangle- all angles are acute.
Example: Equilateral triangle.
Obtuse Triangle- a triangle with one obtuse angle.
The Pythagorean Theorem plays a vital role in the development of trigonometry.
The Pythagorean theorem states. In a right triangle,the square of the hypotenuse
equals the sum of the squares of the legs. To show this, consider a square of
length (a+b) and another inscribed square of side c as shown in Fig. 1.2.1. The
area of the bigger square of side (a+b) minus the area of the smaller square.

b
c

(a+b)2 - 4(1/2 ab) = c2

a2 + 2ab + b2 = c2
a 2 + b2 = c 2

c
c
c
b

a
a

Fig 1.2.1
The numbers a, b, and c satisfying the Pythagorean principle
are called Pythagorean Numbers or Pythagorean Triple.
In a right triangle, it can be shown that for any positive integer
n, the numbers 2n, n2 - 1, and n2 + 1 form to satisfy the
Pythagorean Triple.
Hypotenuse = (2n)2 + (n2 - 1)2
= 4n2 +n4 -2n2 + 1
= n4 + 2n2 + 1
= n2 + 1

Table of Pythagorean Triples

This illustration give possible combinations of the sides of a right
triangle.

n
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9

2n
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
18

n2 - 1
0
3
8
15
24
35
48
63
80

n2 + 1
2
5
10
17
26
37
50
65
82

Application
Example 1.2.1 - A tree is broken 3m above the level ground. The top strikes the
ground 4m from the foot while the other end of the broken part remains attached
to the stump. How high is the tree?
Solution: Let x = the length of the broken part of the tree. Then by Pythagorean
Theorem we
x 2 = 4 2 + 32
x = 5m
Thus, as in Fig. 1.2.2 we have the required
height of the tree = length of standing part + height of broken
Figpart.
1.2.2
=3+5
= 8m

Example 1.2.2 - A ladder leans on top of the wall 12 ft. long. If the foot
ladder is 5 ft. from the wall, find the length of the ladder.
Solution: The problem depicts a right triangle with height 12 ft. and base
5 ft. denotes the length of the ladder, then by Pythagorean Theorem.
x=
52 + 122
=
169
= 13 ft. Fig. 1.2.3.

Distance Formula

X?

12

Fig. 1.2.3
5

The distance between two points P1(x1,y1) and P2(x2,y2) is the number
of units measured along the line between the two points.
If the line is parallel to the x-axis, then y 1 = y2, and the distance is given by
d = P1 P2 = /x2 - x1/ = /x1 - x2/
If the line is parallel to the y-axis, then x 1 = x2, and the distance given by
d = P1 P2 = /y2 - y1/ = /y1 - y2/

If a line is not parallel to either axes as given in the next theorem, then the distance can be found by the
application of Pythagorean Theorem.
Theorem 1.3.1 - The distance between any points P 1(x1,y1) and P2(x2,y2) is given by the formula.
d = P 1P 2 =
(x2 - x1)2 + (y2 - y1)2
Proof - Consider the points P1(x1,y1) and P2(x2,y2) on the line. Draw the lines through P2 and P1 parallel to
y-axis, respectively, as in Fig 1.3.5. Let R (x2,y1) be the point intersection between two lines.

y
P2

Applying the Pythagorean theorem in the

d right triangle P1RP2 we have
P 1 P2 = d =

Fig. 1.3.5

y2-y1

(RP1)2 + (P2R)2

x
R

P1
x2 - x1

Since P2R = /y2 - y1/, and RP1 = /x2 - x1/, then

P1 P2 = d =

(y 2 - y1)2 + (x2 - x1)2 or

d=
(x2 - x1)2 + (y2 - y1)2
Theorem 1.3.2 - The midpoint, denoted by P (x, y), of the segment joining P 1(x1,y1) and P2(x2,y2) is
x = 1/2 (x1 + x2), and y = 1/2 (y1 + y2)
For example, the distance between the points (2,-2) and (-1,-6) is given by
d=
(x2 - x1)2 + (y2 - y1)2
=
[2 - (-1)]2 + [-2 - (-6)]2
=
3 2 + 42 = 5
Note that an order in which the points are taken immaterial, i.e.
[2 - (-1)]2 = (-1 - 2)2
[-2 - (-6)]2 = [-6 - (-2)]2
Also, the coordinates of the midpoint ( x , y ) of the two given foregoing points are:
x = 1/2 [2 + (-1)] = 1/2, and
y = 1/2 [-2 + (-6)] = -4

Logarithms
Logarithm is a tool for the solution of triangles, both right and oblique. The
computations which occur in various problems can often be carried out more
quickly and with less effort by the use of logarithms. We shall see that in
logarithms the operations of multiplication and division can be reduced to
addition and subtractions of their corresponding logarithms, and the operations
such as raising to a power and the extraction of root of a number are reduced to
the operations of multiplying or dividing the logarithm of the number by the
corresponding exponent of the power or index of the root.
A logarithm is another name for an exponent. In general, if a number N is
expressed as some power of b (b > 0, b 1) by the equation
N = bx
then the exponent x is the logarithm of the number N to the base b that is
logbN = x, if and only if , bx = N
In this relationship, the first form is called the logarithmic form, while the second
is the exponential form.

Example:

32 -1/5 = 1/2

e.g. 2.1.1 - Find the value log

log 32 1/2 = -1/5

.001

Solution: log.0011/2=1/2 log (.001) = 1/2 log 1/1000 = 1/2 (-3) = -2/3
e.g. 2.1.2 Give the numerical value of the following:
a.

log2 8
log2 32

b.

log3 81
log3 9

c.

log 1000
log 0.01

Solution: At this point, it is important to note that the equation b x = bx may

be written in logarithmic form as logb bx = x
a. Since log2 8 = log2 23 = 3 and log2 32 = log2 25 = 5
log2 8
3
then
=
log2 32 5
b. Since log3 81 = log3 34 and log3 9 = log3 32 = 2
log3 81 4
then
log3 9 = 2 = 2
c. Since the base is not specified, assume it as 10.
i.e. by 1000 = log10 103 =3 and log 01 = log10 10-2 = -2

3
log 1000
So that we have log
=
-2
log 0.01

or -1.5