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Exact values and links between the functions

Exact values and links between the functions

The angle 45°

In an isosceles right-angled triangle both acute angles are 45∘\displaystyle 45^{\circ}. If the legs are 1\displaystyle 1 long, the hypotenuse by Pythagoras’ theorem is 12+12=2\displaystyle {\sqrt{1^{2}+1^{2}}}={\sqrt{2}}.

  • sin⁡45∘=cos⁡45∘=12=22\displaystyle {\sin45^{\circ}}={\cos45^{\circ}}={\frac{1}{\sqrt{2}}}={\frac{\sqrt{2}}{2}} – multiply the numerator and the denominator by 2\displaystyle \sqrt{2}, and the denominator has no root;
  • tan⁡45∘=11=1\displaystyle {\tan45^{\circ}}={\frac{1}{1}}={1}.
The angles 30° and 60°

Half an equilateral triangle is a right-angled triangle with angles of 30∘\displaystyle 30^{\circ} and 60∘\displaystyle 60^{\circ}. If the hypotenuse is 2\displaystyle 2 long, the side opposite 30∘\displaystyle 30^{\circ} is half the hypotenuse, 1\displaystyle 1, and the other leg 22−12=3\displaystyle {\sqrt{2^{2}-1^{2}}}={\sqrt{3}}.

  • sin⁡30∘=12\displaystyle {\sin30^{\circ}}={\frac{1}{2}}, cos⁡30∘=32\displaystyle {\cos30^{\circ}}={\frac{\sqrt{3}}{2}}, tan⁡30∘=13=33\displaystyle {\tan30^{\circ}}={\frac{1}{\sqrt{3}}}={\frac{\sqrt{3}}{3}};
  • sin⁡60∘=32\displaystyle {\sin60^{\circ}}={\frac{\sqrt{3}}{2}}, cos⁡60∘=12\displaystyle {\cos60^{\circ}}={\frac{1}{2}}, tan⁡60∘=31=3\displaystyle {\tan60^{\circ}}={\frac{\sqrt{3}}{1}}={\sqrt{3}}.
The table of exact values
30∘\displaystyle 30^{\circ}45∘\displaystyle 45^{\circ}60∘\displaystyle 60^{\circ}
sin⁡\displaystyle \sin12\displaystyle \frac{1}{2}22\displaystyle \frac{\sqrt{2}}{2}32\displaystyle \frac{\sqrt{3}}{2}
cos⁡\displaystyle \cos32\displaystyle \frac{\sqrt{3}}{2}22\displaystyle \frac{\sqrt{2}}{2}12\displaystyle \frac{1}{2}
tan⁡\displaystyle \tan33\displaystyle \frac{\sqrt{3}}{3}1\displaystyle 13\displaystyle \sqrt{3}

In a calculation that goes on, write these values, not their approximations: 32\displaystyle \frac{\sqrt{3}}{2}, not 0.87\displaystyle 0.87.

Exercise 1

Calculate exactly, with the values in the table.

a

    / – fraction bar · Tab or the arrows – between numerator and denominator, then a note above or below · Enter – check and a new line · * – times · ^ – power, ↓ – end of the power

    / – fraction bar · Tab or the arrows – between numerator and denominator, then a note above or below · Enter – a new line · * – times · ^ – power, ↓ – end of the power

    b

      / – fraction bar · Tab or the arrows – between numerator and denominator, then a note above or below · Enter – check and a new line · * – times · ^ – power, ↓ – end of the power

      / – fraction bar · Tab or the arrows – between numerator and denominator, then a note above or below · Enter – a new line · * – times · ^ – power, ↓ – end of the power

      c

        / – fraction bar · Tab or the arrows – between numerator and denominator, then a note above or below · Enter – check and a new line · * – times · ^ – power, ↓ – end of the power

        / – fraction bar · Tab or the arrows – between numerator and denominator, then a note above or below · Enter – a new line · * – times · ^ – power, ↓ – end of the power

        d

          / – fraction bar · Tab or the arrows – between numerator and denominator, then a note above or below · Enter – check and a new line · * – times · ^ – power, ↓ – end of the power

          / – fraction bar · Tab or the arrows – between numerator and denominator, then a note above or below · Enter – a new line · * – times · ^ – power, ↓ – end of the power

          Two links between the functions

          In a right-angled triangle with legs a\displaystyle a, b\displaystyle b and hypotenuse c\displaystyle c:

          • divide sin⁡α=ac\displaystyle {\sin\alpha}={\frac{a}{c}} by cos⁡α=bc\displaystyle {\cos\alpha}={\frac{b}{c}}: the c\displaystyle c cancels, and ab\displaystyle \frac{a}{b} is left – the tangent:
          tan⁡α\displaystyle \tan\alpha =\displaystyle = sin⁡αcos⁡α\displaystyle \frac{\sin\alpha}{\cos\alpha}
          • square and add: sin⁡2α+cos⁡2α=a2+b2c2\displaystyle {\sin^{2}\alpha+\cos^{2}\alpha}={\frac{a^{2}+b^{2}}{c^{2}}}, and by Pythagoras’ theorem a2+b2=c2\displaystyle {a^{2}+b^{2}}={c^{2}}:
          sin⁡2α+cos⁡2α\displaystyle \sin^{2}\alpha+\cos^{2}\alpha =\displaystyle = 1\displaystyle 1

          sin⁡2α\displaystyle \sin^{2}\alpha is (sin⁡α)2\displaystyle (\sin\alpha)^{2}.

          The two acute angles of a triangle

          The two acute angles of a right-angled triangle add up to 90∘\displaystyle 90^{\circ}: if one is α\displaystyle \alpha, the other is 90∘−α\displaystyle 90^{\circ}-\alpha. The side opposite one is the side adjacent to the other, so:

          sin⁡(90∘−α)\displaystyle \sin(90^{\circ}-\alpha) =\displaystyle = cos⁡α\displaystyle \cos\alpha
          cos⁡(90∘−α)\displaystyle \cos(90^{\circ}-\alpha) =\displaystyle = sin⁡α\displaystyle \sin\alpha

          For example sin⁡60∘=cos⁡30∘\displaystyle {\sin60^{\circ}}={\cos30^{\circ}}, and cos⁡70∘=sin⁡20∘\displaystyle {\cos70^{\circ}}={\sin20^{\circ}}.

          Exercise 2

          Calculate with the links between the functions.
          Check with a calculator.

          a

            / – fraction bar · Tab or the arrows – between numerator and denominator, then a note above or below · Enter – check and a new line · * – times · ^ – power, ↓ – end of the power

            / – fraction bar · Tab or the arrows – between numerator and denominator, then a note above or below · Enter – a new line · * – times · ^ – power, ↓ – end of the power

            b

              / – fraction bar · Tab or the arrows – between numerator and denominator, then a note above or below · Enter – check and a new line · * – times · ^ – power, ↓ – end of the power

              / – fraction bar · Tab or the arrows – between numerator and denominator, then a note above or below · Enter – a new line · * – times · ^ – power, ↓ – end of the power

              c

                / – fraction bar · Tab or the arrows – between numerator and denominator, then a note above or below · Enter – check and a new line · * – times · ^ – power, ↓ – end of the power

                / – fraction bar · Tab or the arrows – between numerator and denominator, then a note above or below · Enter – a new line · * – times · ^ – power, ↓ – end of the power

                Exercise 3

                α\displaystyle \alpha is an acute angle, and sin⁡α=35\displaystyle {\sin\alpha}={\frac{3}{5}}.
                Calculate exactly.
                (A hint: cos⁡2α=1−sin⁡2α\displaystyle {\cos^{2}\alpha}={1-\sin^{2}\alpha}.)

                a
                cos⁡α\displaystyle \cos\alpha

                  / – fraction bar · Tab or the arrows – between numerator and denominator, then a note above or below · Enter – check and a new line · * – times · ^ – power, ↓ – end of the power

                  / – fraction bar · Tab or the arrows – between numerator and denominator, then a note above or below · Enter – a new line · * – times · ^ – power, ↓ – end of the power

                  b
                  tan⁡α\displaystyle \tan\alpha

                    / – fraction bar · Tab or the arrows – between numerator and denominator, then a note above or below · Enter – check and a new line · * – times · ^ – power, ↓ – end of the power

                    / – fraction bar · Tab or the arrows – between numerator and denominator, then a note above or below · Enter – a new line · * – times · ^ – power, ↓ – end of the power

                    Exercise 4

                    β\displaystyle \beta is an acute angle, and cos⁡β=13\displaystyle {\cos\beta}={\frac{1}{3}}.
                    Calculate exactly.

                    sin⁡β\displaystyle \sin\beta

                      / – fraction bar · Tab or the arrows – between numerator and denominator, then a note above or below · Enter – check and a new line · * – times · ^ – power, ↓ – end of the power

                      / – fraction bar · Tab or the arrows – between numerator and denominator, then a note above or below · Enter – a new line · * – times · ^ – power, ↓ – end of the power

                      tan⁡β\displaystyle \tan\beta

                        / – fraction bar · Tab or the arrows – between numerator and denominator, then a note above or below · Enter – check and a new line · * – times · ^ – power, ↓ – end of the power

                        / – fraction bar · Tab or the arrows – between numerator and denominator, then a note above or below · Enter – a new line · * – times · ^ – power, ↓ – end of the power