Mathematics for Information Technology II (MATH1920) Trigonometry

Trigonometry

Applications of the Trigonometry:

 Finding heights of towers and mountains

 Used in Navigation to find distances of the shore
 Used in oceanography in calculating the height of tides in
oceans
 Used in finding the distance between celestial bodies
 The sine and cosine functions are used in the theory of
periodic functions such as those that describe sound and
light waves.
 In games developments
 Used in Architecture

1. Measuring an Angle

Question: Identify the quadrant in which the terminal side of the

angle is found.

300°
Solution: IV th quadrant

Question: Identify the quadrant in which the terminal side of the

angle is found.

−200°
Solution: II nd quadrant
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Mathematics for Information Technology II (MATH1920) Trigonometry

Question Identify the quadrant in which the terminal side of the

angle is found.

−60°
Solution: IV th quadrant

Question: Convert angle 235° from degree measure to radian

measure.

Solution: 𝜋 𝑟𝑎𝑑𝑖𝑎𝑛 = 180°

𝜋
1° = 180 𝑟𝑎𝑑𝑖𝑎𝑛 (1)

𝜋 235×3.14
235° = 235 × 1° = 235 × 180 = = 4.099444 𝑟𝑎𝑑𝑖𝑎𝑛
180
[by using equation (1)]
5𝜋 5𝜋
Question: Convert angle 18 or radians/ to degrees.
18

Solution: 𝜋 𝑟𝑎𝑑𝑖𝑎𝑛 = 180°

180°
1 𝑟𝑎𝑑𝑖𝑎𝑛 = (1)
𝜋

5𝜋 5𝜋 180° 5 × 3.14 × 180°

× 1 𝑟𝑎𝑑𝑖𝑎𝑛 = × = = 50°
18 18 𝜋 18 × 3.14
OR
5𝜋 5 × 180°
= = 50°
18 18
Question: Convert angle −4 radians to degrees.
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Mathematics for Information Technology II (MATH1920) Trigonometry

−4×180° 4×180°
Solution: -4× 1 𝑟𝑎𝑑𝑖𝑎𝑛 = =− =
𝜋 3.14
−229.29936°
180°
[ 𝑏𝑒𝑐𝑎𝑢𝑠𝑒 1 𝑟𝑎𝑑𝑖𝑎𝑛 = 𝑟𝑎𝑑𝑖𝑎𝑛 ]
𝜋

Question: Convert 175.455° to DMS(D = Degrees, M =

Minutes and S = Seconds) notation.

Solution: Firstly convert

0.455° 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑑𝑒𝑐𝑖𝑚𝑎𝑙 𝑝𝑎𝑟𝑡 𝑜𝑓175.455° 𝑡𝑜 𝑚𝑖𝑛𝑢𝑡𝑒𝑠

𝟏° = 𝟔𝟎′ = 𝟔𝟎 𝒎𝒊𝒏𝒖𝒕𝒆𝒔

𝟏° = 𝟔𝟎 × 𝟔𝟎 𝒔𝒆𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒅𝒔 = 𝟑𝟔𝟎𝟎′′ = 𝟑𝟔𝟎𝟎 𝒔𝒆𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒅𝒔

𝟏′ = 𝟔𝟎′′

0.455° = 0.455 × 1° = 0.455 × 60′ = 𝟐𝟕. 𝟑′ [because 1° =

60′ ]

Now converting 0.3′ 𝑑𝑒𝑐𝑖𝑚𝑎𝑙 𝑝𝑎𝑟𝑡 𝑜𝑓 27.3′ to seconds as:

0.3′ = 0.3 × 1′ = 0.3 × 60′′ = 18′′

Therefore 175.455° = 175°27′18′′

Question: Convert 100°45′30′′ to degrees and radians. Round

your answer to 3 decimal places.

Solution: Firstly convert to degrees as:

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Mathematics for Information Technology II (MATH1920) Trigonometry

100°45′ 30′′ = 100° + 45 × 1′ + 30 × 1′′

1° 1°
= 100° + (45) × + 30 × =
60 3600
= 𝟏𝟎𝟎. 𝟕𝟓𝟖𝟑𝟑𝟑𝟑°
Secondly convert degrees to radians as:

100.7583333° = 100.7583333 × 1°
𝜋
= 100.7583333 × 𝑟𝑎𝑑𝑖𝑎𝑛 =
180
100.7583333 × 3.14
= 𝑟𝑎𝑑𝑖𝑎𝑛𝑠 = 1.757673148 𝑟𝑎𝑑𝑖𝑎𝑛𝑠
180
= 𝟏. 𝟕𝟓𝟖 𝒓𝒂𝒅𝒊𝒂𝒏𝒔
𝜋
[by using 1° = 180 𝑟𝑎𝑑𝑖𝑎𝑛 ]

100°45′30′′ = 𝟏𝟎𝟎. 𝟕𝟓𝟖° = 𝟏. 𝟕𝟓𝟖 𝒓𝒂𝒅𝒊𝒂𝒏𝒔

2.Trigonometric Functions

y
θ

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Mathematics for Information Technology II (MATH1920) Trigonometry

𝒓𝟐 = 𝒙𝟐 + 𝒚𝟐 which implies that 𝑟 = √𝑥 2 + 𝑦 2

𝑦 = √𝑟 2 − 𝑥 2 and 𝑥 = √𝑟 2 − 𝑦 2

Six trigonometric functions:

Question: Find the values of the six trigonometric functions

of 𝜃 rounded to three decimal places. Assume that the problem
refers to a right triangle with acute angle 𝜃. 𝑥 is adjacent side
to 𝜃 and 𝑦 is opposite side to 𝜃. Also, find the value of 𝜃 in
degrees and radians.

𝑥 = 3.5 , 𝑦 = 9.8

Solution: Firstly find 𝑟 𝑏𝑦 𝑢𝑠𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑟 = √𝑥 2 + 𝑦 2

𝑟 = √3.52 + 9.82 = 10.406248

𝑜𝑝𝑝𝑜𝑠𝑖𝑡𝑒 𝑠𝑖𝑑𝑒 𝑦 9.8
𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃 = = = = 0.941741922
ℎ𝑦𝑝𝑜𝑡𝑒𝑛𝑢𝑠𝑒 𝑟 10.406248
= 0.942

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Mathematics for Information Technology II (MATH1920) Trigonometry

𝑎𝑑𝑗𝑎𝑐𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑠𝑖𝑑𝑒 𝑥 3.5

𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜃 = = = = 0.336336401
ℎ𝑦𝑝𝑜𝑡𝑒𝑛𝑢𝑠𝑒 𝑟 10.406248
= 0.336
𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃 𝑜𝑝𝑝𝑜𝑠𝑖𝑡𝑒 𝑠𝑖𝑑𝑒 𝑦 9.8
𝑡𝑎𝑛𝜃 = = = = = 2.8 = 2.800
𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜃 𝑎𝑑𝑗𝑎𝑐𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑠𝑖𝑑𝑒 𝑥 3.5
1 ℎ𝑦𝑝𝑜𝑡𝑒𝑛𝑢𝑠𝑒 𝑟 10.406248
𝑐𝑠𝑐𝜃 = = = =
𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃 𝑜𝑝𝑝𝑜𝑠𝑖𝑡𝑒 𝑠𝑖𝑑𝑒 𝑦 9.8
= 1.061862041 = 1.062
1 ℎ𝑦𝑝𝑜𝑡𝑒𝑛𝑢𝑠𝑒 𝑟 1
𝑠𝑒𝑐𝜃 = = = =
𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜃 𝑎𝑑𝑗𝑎𝑐𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑠𝑖𝑑𝑒 𝑥 0.336336401
= 2.973213714 = 2.973
1 𝑎𝑑𝑗𝑎𝑐𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑠𝑖𝑑𝑒 𝑥 3.5
𝑐𝑜𝑡𝜃 = = = = = 0.357142857
𝑡𝑎𝑛𝜃 𝑜𝑝𝑝𝑜𝑠𝑖𝑡𝑒 𝑠𝑖𝑑𝑒 𝑦 9.8
= 0.357

To find angle 𝜃: 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃 = 0.9417

70.33903 × 𝜋
𝜃 = 𝑠𝑖𝑛−1 0.9417 = 70.33903° =
180
70.33903 × 3.14
= = 1.227025 𝑟𝑎𝑑𝑖𝑎𝑛𝑠
180
Note: You can find 𝜃 by using any of the ratios, you will get the
same answer.

Question: Find the values of six trigonometric ratios for 110°.

Round the answer to 4 decimal places.

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Mathematics for Information Technology II (MATH1920) Trigonometry

Solution: 𝑠𝑖𝑛110° = 0.93969262 = 0.9397

𝑐𝑜𝑠110° = −0.3420201 = −0.3420

𝑡𝑎𝑛110° = −2.7474774 = −2.7475

1
𝑐𝑜𝑡110° = 𝑡𝑎𝑛110° = -0.363970234 = -0.36340

1
𝑠𝑒𝑐110° = = −2.9238044 = −2.9238
𝑐𝑜𝑠110°
1
𝑐𝑠𝑐110° = = 1.0641777 = 1.0642
𝑠𝑖𝑛110°

Question: Find the value of 𝜃 in degrees and radians for 𝑥 =

3 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑟 = 7.
𝑥 3
Solution: 𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜃 = 𝑟 = 7 = 0.428571

𝜃 = 𝑐𝑜𝑠 −1 (0.428571) = 64.623093° = 1.1273139 𝑟𝑎𝑑𝑖𝑎𝑛𝑠

Question: Find the value of 𝜃 in degrees and radians 𝑐𝑠𝑐𝜃 =

3.95. Round your answer to 4 decimal places.

Solution: 𝑐𝑠𝑐𝜃 = 3.95

1 1
𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃 = = = 0.25316
𝑐𝑠𝑐𝜃 3.95

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Mathematics for Information Technology II (MATH1920) Trigonometry

𝜃 = 𝑠𝑖𝑛−1 𝜃 = 𝑠𝑖𝑛−1 (0.25316) = 14.66458°

= 0.2558155 𝑟𝑎𝑑𝑖𝑎𝑛𝑠

𝜃 = 14.6646° = 0.2558 𝑟𝑎𝑑𝑖𝑎𝑛𝑠

Question: Evaluate the trigonometric expression

4𝑡𝑎𝑛55° − 6𝑐𝑜𝑠8. Round your answer to two decimal places.

Solution: In order to calculate the term 𝑐𝑜𝑠8 use radian mode

on the calculator because 8 is in radians.

𝑐𝑜𝑠8 = −0.145500033

4𝑡𝑎𝑛55° − 6𝑐𝑜𝑠8 = 5.712592027-(-0.873000202) =

6.585592229 = 6.59

3. Right Triangles

Right Triangles Problems Links: Find more practice problems

by clicking on the link below:
1) http://www.themathpage.com/atrig/solve-right-triangles.htm

2) http://home.windstream.net/okrebs/page91.html

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Mathematics for Information Technology II (MATH1920) Trigonometry

Question: A man in a window 30 m above street level sights to

a balloon in the distance, hovering over a point 15 km away on
level ground. If the angle of elevation to the balloon is 5° , what
is the height of the balloon from the street level?

Solution:

Question is to find AB= ?

𝐴𝐵 = 𝐴𝐸 + 𝐸𝐵

𝑡𝑎𝑛5° = 𝐸𝐵/15000

EB = 15000 𝑡𝑎𝑛5° = 1312.329953 𝑚

𝐴𝐵 = 𝐴𝐸 + 𝐸𝐵 = 30 + 1312.329953 = 1342.329953𝑚

Right triangles problems and applications link:

http://www.mathplane.com/yahoo_site_admin/assets/docs/Trigonometry_Word_Problems.11720
0533.pdf

https://www.lcsnc.org/cms/lib010/NC01911169/Centricity/Domain/2054/Chapter%207.pdf
(Study page nos. 527-539, it is not needed to study direction problems)

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 Mathematics for Information Technology II (MATH1920) Trigonometry

Homework/Practice Problems:

Odd numbered questions of the chapters 7(7.1-7.3 and end of

chapter problems )from the textbook “Mathematics for
information technology by Alfred Basta, Stephan Delong and
Nadine Basta”

References:
1) Mathematics for information technology by Alfred Basta, Stephan Delong and Nadine Basta
2) Solve right triangles :
http://www.themathpage.com/atrig/solve-right-triangles.htm
3) Trigonometry: http://home.windstream.net/okrebs/page91.html
4) Applications of geometry:
http://malini-math.blogspot.ca/2011/08/applications-of-trigonometry-in-real.html
5) http://www.mathplane.com/yahoo_site_admin/assets/docs/Trigonometry_Word_Problems.11720
0533.pdf
6) https://www.lcsnc.org/cms/lib010/NC01911169/Centricity/Domain/2054/Chapter%207.pdf

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