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| Student Learning Objectives: |
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| | 15 Theory slides |
| | 9 Exercises - Grade E - A |
| | Each lesson is meant to take 1-2 classroom sessions |
Trigonometric ratios are defined for acute angles, however, sometimes it is necessary to find the trigonometric ratio of a non-acute angle θ.
Many angles can be drawn on a coordinate plane by placing the vertex in the origin and choosing two rays. By this method, it is possible to have different angles with the same measure. In the applet, move the rays around to form an angle with a measure of 60^(∘). Then, try getting the same measure, but with the rays in entirely different positions than the first time.
Different angles with a shared vertex at the origin can be formed such that they all have the same measure. This can be somewhat vague, however. To remove this ambiguity, one of the sides of the angle is fixed and an orientation is chosen.
An angle in the coordinate plane is in standard position if its vertex is at the origin and one ray is on the positive x-axis. The ray on the x-axis is called the initial side. The other ray is the terminal side of the angle.
Move the slider to see how the angle measure changes.
Dylan always wakes up late for school and misses the bus. He wants to design a clock with an alarm on it. Dylan brings a rough sketch of the design to his Auntie Wilma, an engineer. Seeing the numbers are not accurately placed, she teaches Dylan how to properly distribute the numbers of the clock.
Knowing this, Dylan erases all the numbers on his design and starts over. Auntie Wilma recommends that he draw a coordinate plane on top of the design so that the origin is at the center of the clock.
Which numeral should Dylan draw at 0^(∘) in standard position?
The numeral at 0^(∘) is the one on the right hand side of a clock. By looking at one of Auntie's clocks, Dylan figures out that the numeral is 3. He goes ahead and writes it down on his clock design.
According to Auntie Wilma, numerals are 30^(∘) apart from each other. Thus, to find the numeral at 60^(∘) in standard position, Dylan counts how many 30^(∘) intervals are in 60^(∘). 60^(∘) = 2 * 30^(∘) Auntie Wilma reminds Dylan here that positive angles are measured counterclockwise.
Once more, Dylan checks one of Auntie's clocks and finds that 1 is the numeral at 60^(∘). So, he writes it down. So far, his design looks as follows.
Dylan sets out some art supplies to begin painting the clock's housing. He checks another one of Auntie Wilma's clocks as he begins painting. It is 3:00PM.
Finished and exhausted, Dylan checks the clock again. He is surprised to see that it is now 8:00PM. What a long painting session!
Auntie Wilma sees this as an opportunity to teach Dylan about measurements and asks him to find the measure of the angle, in degrees and radians, made by the displacement of the hour hand.
To find the measure in radians, the relation between radians and degrees will be used.
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Relation between Radians and Degrees |
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180^(∘)=πrad |
This relation can be used to find the displacement of the hour hand in radians.
.LHS /6.=.RHS /6.
Calculate quotient
LHS * (-5)=RHS* (-5)
Multiply
a*b/c= a* b/c
Consequently, the hour hand rotated - 5π6 radians.
Depending on how the rotation of its terminal side was performed, it is possible to assign different measures to an angle in standard position. These angles, which have the same terminal side, have a special name.
Two or more angles in standard position with the same terminal side are called coterminal angles. For example, angles measuring 50^(∘), 410^(∘), and - 310^(∘) are coterminal angles.
Degrees: & θ + n* 360 Radians: & θ + n* 2 π
Although Dylan has just measured angles counterclockwise, Auntie Wilma suggests that he should be able to measure angles clockwise. Dylan knows that the angle between the 3 and 1 numeral measures 60^(∘), his goal is to express that angle in the same direction as the movement of the clock's hands.
Find the negative coterminal angle, in degrees, that is closest to 60^(∘).
Coterminal angles can be found by adding or subtracting multiples of 360^(∘) to a given angle. Since Dylan is looking for the negative coterminal angle closest to 60^(∘), the coterminal angle can be found by subtracting 360^(∘) from 60^(∘). 60^(∘) - 360^(∘) = -300^(∘) To find the measure in radians, the relation between radians and degrees will be used.
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Relation between Radians and Degrees |
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180^(∘)=πrad |
This relation can be used to convert 300^(∘) into radians.
.LHS /3.=.RHS /3.
Calculate quotient
LHS * (-5)=RHS* (-5)
Therefore, the coterminal angle measures - 5π3 radians.
One of the goals of this lesson is to associate trigonometric ratios to any angle. However, these are defined for acute angles, so a way around must be chosen. Quadrantal and reference angles are used for this purpose.
An angle in standard position is called a quadrantal angle if its terminal side lies on the x- or y-axis.
Degrees: & n* 90^(∘) Radians: & n* π/2
For an angle θ that is not quadrantal, the acute angle θ' formed by the terminal side of θ and the x-axis is called a reference angle. Examine the diagram to see the relationship between θ and θ' for 0^(∘) < θ < 360^(∘).
| Degrees | Radians | |
|---|---|---|
| Quadrant I | θ' = θ | θ' = θ |
| Quadrant II | θ' = 180^(∘) - θ | θ' = π - θ |
| Quadrant III | θ' = θ -180^(∘) | θ' = θ- π |
| Quadrant IV | θ' = 360^(∘) - θ | θ' = 2π - θ |
If θ is greater than 360^(∘) or less than 0^(∘), then finding its coterminal angle with a positive measure between 0^(∘) and 360^(∘) will be helpful to find the reference angle.
| Angle | Coterminal Angle | Reference Angle |
|---|---|---|
| - 130 | - 130 +360 = 230 | 230-180 = 50 |
| 8π/3 | 8π/3 - 2π = 2π/3 | π - 2π/3= π/3 |
Dylan is still working on pinpointing the clock numerals. To help himself, he draws a coordinate plane on top of his design, just as Auntie Wilma suggested.
Auntie Wilma says to Dylan that now he should draw the numerals corresponding to the quadrantal angles. What numerals should Dylan draw?
Once more, Dylan looks at one of Auntie's clock and sees that the numerals corresponding to quadrantal angles are 3, 6, 9, and 12. However, he already drew 3. Hence, he proceeds to draw these three new numerals in his design.
To find the numerals that form reference angles of 30^(∘), Dylan first reviews the definition of reference angle.
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Reference Angle |
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For an angle θ that is not quadrantal, the acute angle θ' formed by the terminal side of θ and the x-axis is called a reference angle. |
Note that this is the angle between the x-axis and the corresponding numeral. This means that it does not have to be an angle in standard position; it can also be either clockwise or counterclockwise.
By looking at the clock on the living room wall of Auntie's house, Dylan finds that the numerals which form a 30^(∘) reference angle are 2, 4, 8, and 10. He goes ahead and adds those numerals to the design.
An angle in standard position is given in the following applet.
By placing a right triangle with one vertex at the origin and one of their legs along the x-axis, the coordinates of the vertex not on the axis can be found using the legs of the triangle.
If said vertex is in the first quadrant, then its coordinates are the lengths of the triangle's legs. Considering that lengths cannot be negative, the sign of the corresponding coordinate changes accordingly if the vertex is not on the first quadrant.
Since the hypotenuse of these triangles is 1, the marked points all lie on a circle with radius 1 whose center is at the origin.
This circle receives a special name and is related to trigonometric ratios, particularly to sine and cosine.
The unit circle is a circle with radius 1 and whose center lies on the origin of a coordinate plane.
A right triangle can be associated to a point on the circle. This can be done by choosing its hypotenuse equal to the radius of the circle. The legs of the triangle are parallel to the axes.
The coordinates of a point on the unit circle can be related to trigonometric ratios by selecting θ as the angle that is at the origin.
The length of the hypotenuse is equal to one because it is the radius of the unit circle, so the point on the unit circle can be used to generalize sine and cosine functions. sinθ=opp/hyp cosθ=adj/hyp ⇓ sinθ=y cosθ=x
Because of this, sine and cosine are also called circular functions.The values of sine and cosine are defined for acute angles, however, for angles that are not acute, an appropriate reference angle θ' can be used. The sign is chosen depending on which quadrant lies the terminal side.
| Quadrantal Angle | Sine | Cosine |
|---|---|---|
| 0^(∘) | 0 | 1 |
| 90^(∘) | 1 | 0 |
| 180^(∘) | 0 | -1 |
| 270^(∘) | -1 | 0 |
Dylan is ready to finish the clock. He places it, without the housing, in his works place, then sets out a huge sheet of pink graph paper over the already placed numerals. He placed each numeral 1 foot away from the clock's center.
Dylan wants to place the rest of the numerals, but he has forgotten a protractor to measure the angles! Auntie Wilma points out that his clock can be seen as a unit circle, therefore, the rest of the numerals can be placed by finding their coordinates.
Find the coordinates where Dylan should place the numeral 11. Round each coordinate to two decimal places.
| Numeral | Angle | Reference Angle |
|---|---|---|
| 11 | 120^(∘) | 60^(∘) |
| 5 | 300^(∘) | 60^(∘) |
Knowing that the numerals are placed in a unit circle, Dylan will find their coordinates using circular functions. x &= cosθ y &= sinθ Dylan knows that Auntie Wilma would suggest that this information be added into the table.
| Numeral | Angle | Reference Angle | x-coordinate | y-coordinate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | 120^(∘) | 60^(∘) | cos120^(∘) = -cos60^(∘) | sin120^(∘) = sin60^(∘) |
| 5 | 300^(∘) | 60^(∘) | cos300^(∘) = cos60^(∘) | sin300^(∘) = -sin 60^(∘) |
Next, using a calculator, Dylan finds the sine and cosine of 60^(∘). He then rounds each result to two decimal places. cos 60^(∘) = 0.5 sin 60^(∘) ≈ -0.87 Dylan then writes the coordinates of the 11 and 5 numerals into the table.
| Numeral | x-coordinate | y-coordinate |
|---|---|---|
| 11 | -0.5 | ≈ 0.87 |
| 5 | 0.5 | ≈ -0.87 |
Now that Dylan knows the coordinates of the numerals, he proceeds and draws them. Right before drawing the last numeral, 7, Auntie Wilma asks him to let her do it, and Dylan happily agrees.
Dylan feels so proud to have made it this far in the clock design. Thanks to viewing his clock as a unit circle, he could draw the last three numerals. Dylan is supremely confident that they are correctly placed. He puts on the finishing touches, removes some of the tics for a more modern look, and sets up this huge and funny looking alarm clock by his bed.
This lesson discussed a way of measuring angles without ambiguity as well as introducing the concepts of unit circle and circular functions. These concepts can be used to solve the challenge presented at the beginning.
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The tangent and the secant are undefined for 0^(∘), 180^(∘), or any of their coterminal angles. |
Likewise, the cotangent and cosecant are undefined when y=0, that is, for the quadrantal angles on the y-axis, as well as for any of their coterminal angles.
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The cotangent and the cosecant are undefined for 90^(∘), 270^(∘), or any of their coterminal angles. |
Fill in the blank with the correct word.
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A(n) angle is an angle in standard position whose terminal side lies on the x- or y-axis. |
As we begin, let's consider the given definition. Notice that it does not talk about the measure of the angle. This gives us a clue as to which of the given options can be discarded. Of the four given words, two rely on the measure of an angle.
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Acute angle | An angle whose measure is greater than 0^(∘) but less than 90^(∘). |
| Reference angle | The acute angle θ' formed by the terminal side of the angle θ and the x-axis |
After discarding these two options, we only have two left to analyze. Let's focus on the term coterminal. If we recall, this definition involves two or more angles, while the given definition refers to a proper quality of a single angle.
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Coterminal angles | Two or more angles in standard position with the same terminal side. |
Consequently, we discard the word coterminal too. For this reason, we conclude that the missing word is quadrantal. Additionally, if we check its definition, it perfectly matches the given one.
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Quadrantal angle | An angle in standard position whose terminal side lies on the x- or y-axis. |
Consider the following four angles.
Pair each angle with its measure.
Let's start by analyzing the direction of the rotation of the four given angles. We can see that angles A and D are rotated clockwise while angles B and C are rotated counterclockwise. Remember, if the terminal side is rotated clockwise, the measure of the angle is negative; otherwise, it is positive.
| Option | Direction of Rotation | Measure |
|---|---|---|
| A | Clockwise | Negative |
| B | Counterclockwise | Positive |
| C | Counterclockwise | Positive |
| D | Clockwise | Negative |
Of the given angle measures, two are positive and two are negative. This allows us to make a classification.
| Option | Direction of Rotation | Measure | Possible Measures |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | Clockwise | Negative | -16π/5 and -510^(∘) |
| B | Counterclockwise | Positive | 11π/6 and 420^(∘) |
| C | Counterclockwise | Positive | 11π/6 and 420^(∘) |
| D | Clockwise | Negative | -16π/5 and -510^(∘) |
Now, let's study the cases separately.
Here, we will focus on angles A and D and the measures - 16π5 and -510^(∘). Notice that angle A lies in Quadrant III while angle D lies in Quadrant II. This will help us later.
Notice that 16π5 is slightly greater than 3π. Since a rotation of π radians is the same as a half turn, to graph an angle of measure - 16π5, we have to rotate the terminal side clockwise by a little more than three half turns.
Similarly, since 510^(∘) is a little less than 3* 180^(∘), to graph an angle of measure -510^(∘), we have to turn the terminal side clockwise a little less than three half turns.
As we can see, an angle with measure - 16π5 lies in Quadrant II while an angle with measure -510^(∘) lies in Quadrant III. -16π/5 & → Quadrant II [0.25em] -510^(∘) & → Quadrant III Based on what we found, we conclude that the measure of angle A is -510^(∘) and the measure of angle D is - 16π5. A &→ -510^(∘) [0.25em] D &→ -16π/5
Now, let's focus on angles B and C and the measures 11π6 and 420^(∘). As before, we start by noticing that angle B lies in Quadrant I while angle C lies in Quadrant IV.
Notice that 11π6 is slightly less than 2π. Therefore, to graph an angle of measure 11π6, we have to rotate counterclockwise the terminal side for a little less than two half turns.
Similarly, the angle 420^(∘) is slightly larger than 2* 180^(∘). So, to graph an angle of measure 420^(∘), we need to rotate the terminal side counterclockwise a little more than two half turns.
Considering the last two diagrams, we see that an angle with measure 11π6 lies in Quadrant IV while an angle with measure 420^(∘) lies in Quadrant I. 11π/6 & → Quadrant IV [0.25em] 420^(∘) & → Quadrant I From this, we conclude that the measure of angle B is 420^(∘) and the measure of angle C is 11π6. B &→ 420^(∘) [0.25em] C &→ 11π/6
After completing our analysis, let's write the correct pairing between the angles and their measures. A &→ -510^(∘) [0.25em] B &→ 420^(∘) [0.25em] C &→ 11π/6 [0.25em] D &→ -16π/5
Since coterminal angles have the same terminal side, to obtain angles that are coterminal to a given angle, we have to add or subtract multiples of 360^(∘) to or from the given measure. In our case, the given angle has a measure of 125^(∘).
| Coterminal Angles with 125^(∘) | |
|---|---|
| Adding Multiples of 360^(∘) | Subtracting Multiples of 360^(∘) |
| 125^(∘)+360^(∘) = 485^(∘) | 125^(∘)-360^(∘) = -235^(∘) |
| 125^(∘)+ 2* 360^(∘) = 845^(∘) | 125^(∘)- 2* 360^(∘) = -595^(∘) |
| 125^(∘)+ 3* 360^(∘) = 1205^(∘) | 125^(∘)- 3* 360^(∘) = -955^(∘) |
From the table, we see that the positive coterminal angle that is closest to 125^(∘) is 485^(∘).
Here, we will proceed as in Part A, but instead of adding or subtracting multiples of 360^(∘), we will add or subtract multiples of 2π. We do this because the given angle measure is in radians.
| Coterminal Angles with 10π3 | |
|---|---|
| Adding Multiples of 2π | Subtracting Multiples of 2π |
| 10π/3+2π = 16π/3 | 10π/3-2π = 4π/3 |
| 10π/3+ 2* 2π = 22π/3 | 10π/3- 2* 2π = -2π/3 |
| 10π/3+ 3* 2π = 28π/3 | 10π/3- 3* 2π = -8π/3 |
This time, we are looking for the negative coterminal angle that is closest to 10π3. From the table, we find that the coterminal angle we are looking for is - 2π3.
Since the angle α is not a quadrantal angle, its reference angle α' is the acute angle formed by the terminal side of α and the x-axis. Let's recall the rules for finding the measure of a reference angle according to the quadrant the angle lies on.
Let's graph the given angle to determine in which quadrant it lies.
The angle α lies in Quadrant III. For this reason, to find its reference angle, we subtract 180^(∘) from α.
As in Part A, the angle β is not a quadrantal angle. Therefore, to find its reference angle, we have to find the acute angle formed by the terminal side of β and the x-axis. Once more, let's recall the rules for finding the reference angle, but this time using radians.
Let's graph the angle β. Notice that it is a little less than π.
The angle β lies in Quadrant II. Thus, to find its reference angle, we will subtract β from π.
The reference angle of an angle θ measures 20^(∘). Which of the following diagrams cannot be the angle θ?
Let's begin by recalling the definition of a reference angle.
Reference Angle |- For an angle θ that is not quadrantal, the acute angle θ' formed by the terminal side of θ and the x-axis is called a reference angle.
In our case, we are said that the reference angle of an angle θ measures 20^(∘). However, in the given diagram, no measures were given.
Nevertheless, because the reference angle measures 20^(∘), the terminal side of angle θ must be close to the x-axis. As we can see, the terminal sides in diagrams A, B, and D are close to the x-axis. On the contrary, the terminal side in diagram C is quite far from the x-axis.
From the diagram, we can see that the reference angle in diagram C has a measure greater than 20^(∘). Consequently, diagram C cannot represent angle θ. This means that the correct answer is C.