Scribd
Upload
828 views

Pythagoras' and Trigonometry Cheat Sheet

The document provides instructions for using Pythagoras' theorem and the trigonometric ratios SOHCAHTOA to solve problems involving right-angled triangles. It explains how to identify whether a triangle is right-angled, which rule to use, how to label the sides, and how to apply the appropriate trigonometric ratio formula to calculate a missing side or angle. Worked examples are provided to demonstrate solving for different variables using the trigonometric ratios or Pythagoras' theorem.

Uploaded by

Thalia Cooley
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
828 views

Pythagoras' and Trigonometry Cheat Sheet

The document provides instructions for using Pythagoras' theorem and the trigonometric ratios SOHCAHTOA to solve problems involving right-angled triangles. It explains how to identify whether a triangle is right-angled, which rule to use, how to label the sides, and how to apply the appropriate trigonometric ratio formula to calculate a missing side or angle. Worked examples are provided to demonstrate solving for different variables using the trigonometric ratios or Pythagoras' theorem.

Uploaded by

Thalia Cooley
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 2

START

Using Pythagoras and SOHCAHTOA

STOP
No
Is the triangle We need to learn
right-angled? more rules

Yes

Does the
question involve No – use
the size of an Pythagoras
angle?
Which
Yes – use SOHCAHTOA side do
you need

Shorter side
to find?

Hypotenuse
Find the significant angle –
the one given or the one you
need to find.

Label the hypotenuse, Use a² = b² + c² Use b² = a² - c²


adjacent and opposite sides.

Which
Check your answer makes
sides are
sense. Did you remember to
involved?
square root?

O A O

S H C H T A
FINISH

Are you
finding Side
Use O = S × H, H = A / C etc
angle or
side?
Check your
answer makes
Use S = O/H etc, and inverse trig sense.
Angle
function
sin-1, cos-1, or tan-1
How to use SOHCAHTOA

Opposite
x°
Adjacent

𝑜𝑝𝑝𝑜𝑠𝑖𝑡𝑒
𝑠𝑖𝑛𝑒 =
ℎ𝑦𝑝𝑜𝑡𝑒𝑛𝑢𝑠𝑒
O 𝑜𝑝𝑝𝑜𝑠𝑖𝑡𝑒
Hypotenuse = 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝑒
S H
𝑂𝑝𝑝𝑜𝑠𝑖𝑡𝑒 = 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝑒 × ℎ𝑦𝑝𝑜𝑡𝑒𝑛𝑢𝑠𝑒

𝑎𝑑𝑗𝑎𝑐𝑒𝑛𝑡
𝑐𝑜𝑠𝑖𝑛𝑒 =
ℎ𝑦𝑝𝑜𝑡𝑒𝑛𝑢𝑠𝑒
A
𝑎𝑑𝑗𝑎𝑐𝑒𝑛𝑡
Hypotenuse = 𝑐𝑜𝑠𝑖𝑛𝑒
C H
𝑎𝑑𝑗𝑎𝑐𝑒𝑛𝑡 = 𝑐𝑜𝑠𝑖𝑛𝑒 × ℎ𝑦𝑝𝑜𝑡𝑒𝑛𝑢𝑠𝑒

𝑜𝑝𝑝𝑜𝑠𝑖𝑡𝑒
𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑒𝑛𝑡 =
𝑎𝑑𝑗𝑎𝑐𝑒𝑛𝑡
O
𝑜𝑝𝑝𝑜𝑠𝑖𝑡𝑒
a𝑑𝑗𝑎𝑐𝑒𝑛𝑡 = 𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑒𝑛𝑡
T A
𝑜𝑝𝑝𝑜𝑠𝑖𝑡𝑒 = 𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑒𝑛𝑡 × 𝑎𝑑𝑗𝑎𝑐𝑒𝑛𝑡

Which sides are involved? Use your answer to choose SOH,


CAH or TOA. Then choose the version which calculates the
missing information that you want.

You might also like