Head to www.savemyexams.

com for more awesome resources

Exact Trig Values

Your notes
Exact Trig Values
What are exact values in trigonometry?
For certain angles the values of sin θ, cos θ and tan θ can be written exactly
This means using fractions and surds
You are expected to know the exact values of sin, cos and tan for
0°, 30°, 45°, 60°, 90°, 180° and their multiples

θ 0º 30º 45º 60º 90º

sin θ 0 1 2 3 1
2 2 2

cos θ 1 3 2 1 0

2 2 2

tan θ 0 3 1 3 undefined

How can I remember these exact trig values?

Look at patterns in the table
Note the values of sin θ from 0° to 90° match cos θ in reverse, from 90° to 0°

0 1 2 3 4
Some people remember sin θ using the trick , , , , which simplifies to
2 2 2 2 2
1 2 3
0, , , ,1
2 2 2
Two special right-angled triangles below can help you to find the exact values for 30º, 45º and 60º

Page 18 of 25

© 2015-2024 Save My Exams, Ltd. · Revision Notes, Topic Questions, Past Papers
 Head to www.savemyexams.com for more awesome resources

1 1 2 2
Remember that by rationalising the denominator, = × =
2 2 2 2 Your notes

Page 19 of 25

© 2015-2024 Save My Exams, Ltd. · Revision Notes, Topic Questions, Past Papers
 Head to www.savemyexams.com for more awesome resources

Your notes

The trig graphs can help you to remember the exact values for 0º and multiples of 90º

Page 20 of 25

© 2015-2024 Save My Exams, Ltd. · Revision Notes, Topic Questions, Past Papers
 Head to www.savemyexams.com for more awesome resources

Your notes

Page 21 of 25

© 2015-2024 Save My Exams, Ltd. · Revision Notes, Topic Questions, Past Papers
 Head to www.savemyexams.com for more awesome resources

Your notes

Page 22 of 25

© 2015-2024 Save My Exams, Ltd. · Revision Notes, Topic Questions, Past Papers
 Head to www.savemyexams.com for more awesome resources

Your notes

How do I use exact trig values?

You may come across trig questions in a non-calculator question
In trig calculations, substitute in the exact trig values and solve as usual

x
E.g. Solve the equation cos 45 =
12

2 2 x
Replace cos 45 with to give =
2 2 12
Then you can solve for x

On trig graphs, you may be expected to find a coordinate

E.g. The coordinates ( 30, k ) lie on the graph y = tan x , find k

Page 23 of 25

© 2015-2024 Save My Exams, Ltd. · Revision Notes, Topic Questions, Past Papers
 Head to www.savemyexams.com for more awesome resources

k will be equal to tan 30

3 Your notes
The exact value of tan 30 is
3

3
Therefore k =
3

EXAM TIP
Writing these out (or sketching the triangles/graphs) on your paper at the beginning of the exam
means that you can use them as many times as you need to during the exam!

WORKED EXAMPLE
Find the value of x in the diagram below.

Give your answer as an exact value.

Page 24 of 25

© 2015-2024 Save My Exams, Ltd. · Revision Notes, Topic Questions, Past Papers
 Head to www.savemyexams.com for more awesome resources

Triangle ABC is a right-angled triangle, so use SOHCAHTOA

O Your notes
We know the hypotenuse (AC) and we want to calculate the opposite (BC), so use sin θ =
H
x
sin 60 =
28

3
Remember that sin 60 =
2
So,

3 x
=
2 28
3
28 × =x
2
14 × 3 = x
Leave in exact (surd) form

x = 14 3 cm

Page 25 of 25

© 2015-2024 Save My Exams, Ltd. · Revision Notes, Topic Questions, Past Papers