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Trigonometry - sin, cos, tan, cot

Take an x-axis and an y-axis (orthonormal) and let O be the origin. A circle centered in O and with radius = 1 is known as trigonometric circle or unit circle.
unit triangle
If P is a point from the circle and t is the angle between PO and x then:
  • the x-coordinate of P is called the cosine of t. We write cos(t);
  • the y-coordinate of P is called the sine of t. We write sin(t);
  • the number sin(t)/cos(t) is called the tangent of t. We write tan(t);
  • the number cos(t)/sin(t) is called the cotangent of t. We write cot(t).

The sine function

sin : R -> R
All trygonometric functions are periodic. The period of sin is .
The range of the function is [-1,1].

sin graph

The cosine function

cos : R -> R
The period of sin is .
The range of the function is [-1,1].

cos graph

The tangent function

tan : R -> R
The range of the function is R. Now, the period is π and the function is not defined in x = (π/2) + kπ, k=0,1,2,...

tan graph

The cotangent function

cot : R -> R
The range of the function isR. The period is π and that the function is not defined in x = kπ, k=0,1,2,...

cot graph

Values of sin, cos, tan, cot at angles of 0°, 30°, 60°, 90°

\begin{tabular}{|c|c|c|c|c|c|} \hline \alpha^\circ & 0^\circ & 30^\circ & 45^\circ & 60^\circ & 90^\circ \\ \hline \alpha \textrm{ rad } & \frac{\pi}{6} & \frac{\pi}{4} & \frac{\pi}{3} & \frac{\pi}{2} \\ \hline \textrm{ sin } \alpha & 0 & \frac{1}{2} & \frac{\sqrt{2}}{2} & \frac{\sqrt{3}}{2} & 1 \\ \hline \textrm{ cos } \alpha & 1 & \frac{\sqrt{3}}{2} & \frac{\sqrt{2}}{2} & \frac{1}{2} & 0 \\ \hline \textrm{ tan } \alpha & 0 & \frac{\sqrt{3}}{3} & 1 & \sqrt{3} & - \\ \hline \textrm{ cot } \alpha & - & \sqrt{3} & 1 & \frac{\sqrt{3}}{3} & 0 \\ \hline \end{tabular}

Trigonometric formulas

With t radians corresponds exactly one point P(cos(t),sin(t)) on the unit circle. The square of the distance [OP] = 1. Calculating this distance with the coordinates of P we have for each t:

cos2(t) + sin2(t) = 1

If t + t' = 180° then:

  • sin(t) = sin(t')
  • cos(t) = -cos(t')
  • tan(t) = -tan(t')
  • cot(t) = -cot(t')

If t + t' = 90° then:

  • sin(t) = cos(t')
  • cos(t) = sin(t')
  • tan(t) = cot(t')
  • cot(t) = tan(t')

\begin{tabular}{|c|c|c|c|c|} \hline  & -\alpha & 90^\circ - \alpha & 90^\circ + \alpha & 180^\circ - \alpha \\ \hline \textrm{ sin } & -\textrm{ sin }\alpha & \textrm{ cos }\alpha & \textrm{ cos } \alpha & \textrm{ sin }\alpha \\ \hline  \textrm{ cos } & \textrm{ cos }\alpha & \textrm{ sin }\alpha & -\textrm{ sin} \alpha & -\textrm{ cos }\alpha \\ \hline  \textrm{ tan } & -\textrm{ tan }\alpha & \textrm{ cot }\alpha & -\textrm{ cot } \alpha & -\textrm{ tan }\alpha \\ \hline  \textrm{ cot } & -\textrm{ cot }\alpha & \textrm{ tan }\alpha & -\textrm{ tan } \alpha & -\textrm{ cot }\alpha \\ \hline \end{tabular}

cos(u-v) = cos(u).cos(v) + sin(u).sin(v)
cos(u + v) = cos(u - (-v)) = cos(u).cos(-v) + sin(u).sin(-v)
sin(u - v) = sin(u).cos(v) - cos(u).sin(v)
sin(u + v) = sin(u).cos(v) + cos(u).sin(v)
tan(u + v) =
sin(u + v)
cos(u + v)
=
sin(u).cos(v) + cos(u).sin(v)
cos(u).cos(v) - sin(u).sin(v)
tan(u + v) =
tan(u) + tan(v)
1 - tan(u).tan(v)
sin(2u) = 2sin(u).cos(u)
cos(2u) = cos2(u) - sin2(u)
tan(2u) =
2tan(u)
1- tan2(u)
cos(2u) =
1 - tan2(u)
1 + tan2(u)
sin(2u) =
2tan(u)
1 + tan2(u)
1 + cos(2u) = 2 cos2(u)
1 - cos(2u) = 2 sin2(u)

Addition and multiplication of sin and cos

\textrm{ sin } \alpha + \textrm{ sin }\beta = 2 \textrm{ sin }\frac{\alpha + \beta}{2} \textrm{ cos }\frac{\alpha - \beta}{2} \qquad \qquad \qquad \qquad \qquad \qquad \textrm{ sin } \alpha - \textrm{ sin }\beta = 2 \textrm{ sin }\frac{\alpha - \beta}{2} \textrm{ cos }\frac{\alpha + \beta}{2} \\ \textrm{ cos } \alpha + \textrm{ cos }\beta = 2 \textrm{ cos }\frac{\alpha + \beta}{2} \textrm{ cos }\frac{\alpha - \beta}{2} \qquad \qquad \qquad \qquad \qquad \qquad \textrm{ cos } \alpha - \textrm{ cos }\beta = -2 \textrm{ sin }\frac{\alpha + \beta}{2} \textrm{ sin }\frac{\alpha - \beta}{2} \\ \textrm{ sin }\alpha \textrm{ sin }\beta = \frac{1}{2} (\textrm{ cos }(\alpha - \beta) - \textrm{ cos }(\alpha + \beta)) \qquad \qquad \qquad \textrm{ cos }\alpha \textrm{ cos }\beta = \frac{1}{2} (\textrm{ cos }(\alpha - \beta) + \textrm{ cos }(\alpha + \beta)) \\ \textrm{ sin }\alpha \textrm{ cos }\beta = \frac{1}{2} (\textrm{ sin }(\alpha + \beta) + \textrm{ sin }(\alpha - \beta))

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