Notes for HKCEE Mathematics

Trigonometry
Definition.
Suppose the point P(x, y) makes angle with positive x-axis. Define
sin
cos
tan
y
r
x
r
y
x

'

where
2 2
r x y + @
.
Important relationship.
sin
tan
cos

and
2 2
sin cos 1 +
.
Special Values.
in degree sin cos tan
1
! 1
2
!
2
1
!
"#
2
2
2
2
1
$
!
2
1
2
!
% 1

&ou are suggested to memori'e all these values(
)age 1 of *
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y
r
x

P(x, y)
The Graphs of Trigonometric unctions.
- 180
o
- 360
o
180
o
360
o
The Graph of Sine Function

- 180
o
- 360
o
180
o
360
o
The Graph of Cosine Function
-he functions sin and cos are periodic with period !$ .
- 180
o
- 90
o
90
o
180
o
The Graph of Tangent Function
-he function tan is periodic with period 1. .
General Solution for Trigonometric E!uation.
/0uation 1eneral Solution
sin k
1
1. ( 1) sin
n
n k

+
cos k
1
!$ cos n k

t
tan k
1
1. tan n k

+
Example.
-he general solution for
1
sin
2
is 1. ( 1) !
n
n + (n is integer), i.e. the
solutions are
, !! , 21 , ! , 1# , !% , #1 , L L
)age 2 of *
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c
a
b
R
A
B C
"e#uction $rinciple.
sin ) sin( cos ) cos( tan ) tan(
sin(% ) cos cos(% ) sin
1
tan(% )
tan

sin(% ) cos + cos(% ) sin +
1
tan(% )
tan

+
sin(1. ) sin cos(1. ) cos tan(1. ) tan
sin(1. ) sin + cos(1. ) cos + tan(1. ) tan +
sin(2* ) cos cos(2* ) sin
1
tan(2* )
tan

sin(2* ) cos + cos(2* ) sin +
1
tan(2* )
tan

+
sin(!$ ) sin cos(!$ ) cos tan(!$ ) tan
-he figure as shown will help us to memori'e the a2ove properties.
Notations. 1iven a triangle ABC, the length of BC, CA, AB are
denoted 23 a, b, c respectivel3 as shown in the figure. -he letter R
usuall3 stands for circumradius.
%rea of Triangle.
1 1 1
area of sin sin sin
2 2 2
ABC ab C bc A ca B .
-r3 to prove this formula 3ourself( 4 hint is given 23 the
figure on the right.
)age ! of *
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A S
C T
h
A
B C D
Sine &a'.
,ith the notations a2ove, we have
( 2 )
sin sin sin
a b c
R
A B C
.
Proof I.
5ust note that
1 1
sin area of sin sin sin
2 2 sin sin
a c
ab C ABC bc A a C c A
A C
. 6t
follows that
sin sin sin
a b c
A B C
23 s3mmetr3.
Proof II.
7et O 2e the circumcenterof ABC and BO meets the
circumcircleat D.
8ote that BCD is a right angle triangle, so
sin sin
2
BC a
A D
BD R
.
9ence, 2
sin
a
R
A
and follows that 2
sin sin
b c
R
B C
23 s3mmetr3.
%pplications of Sine &a'.
Example 1. 1iven a triangle ABC with " A , . B , and CA : ".!! cm. ;ind the
length of BC.
Solution. <3 Sine 7aw,
)age " of *
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O
A
C B
D
4.33 cm
80
o
40
o
B
C
A
sin sin
".!!
sin " sin.
".!!
sin "
sin.
2..! cm (correct to 2 d.p.)
a b
A B
a
a
a

-his is t3pical case. 6n the examination, C is usuall3 given instead of B . 6n this

case 3ou can find B (23 sum of triangle) first and then appl3 Sine 7aw.
Example 2. 1iven a triangle ABC with " A , BC : 2..! cm, and CA : ".!! cm. ;ind
B correct to nearest degree.
Solution.
sin sin
2..! ".!!
sin " sin
".!!
sin sin "
2..!
sin .%.!#
BC CA
A B
B
B
B

9ence,
. or 1 B
(correct to nearest degree). -he situations are shown in the
following figures.
2.83 cm
4.33 cm
40
o
B C
A

2.83 cm
4.33 cm
40
o
B
C
A
TIP. 6n order to get a more accurate answer, it is 2etter to compute (23 3our calculator)
1
".!!
sin sin "
2..!

_


,
2ut not
1
sin .%.!#

.
)age # of *
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Cosine &a'.
,ith the usual notations,
2 2 2
cos
2
b c a
A
bc
+

Similarl3,
2 2 2
cos
2
c a b
B
ca
+

2 2 2
cos
2
a b c
C
ab
+

%pplications of Cosine &a'.

Example 3. 4 triangle ABC is shown in the following figure. ;ind B .
2 cm
3 cm
4 cm
B C
A
Solution.
2 2 2
2 ! "
cos
2 2 !
1
cos
"
1".". (correct to 2 d.p.)
B
B
B
+

Example 4. ;ind the length of CA in the following figure.
3.72 cm
2.43 cm
60
o
C
B
A
Solution.
)age $ of *
+arto ,ong
2 2 2
2
2."! !.*2
cos $
2 2."! !.*2
1.*!*
!.2* cm (correct to 2 d.p.)
CA
CA
CA
+

/xample ! and example " are t3pical applications of +osine 7aw. =oughl3 speaking,
these are the onl3 two cases for which we use +osine 7aw. 4ll the 0uestions in 9>+//,
except these 2 t3pes, can 2e solved 23 Sine 7aw.
,e see one more example.
Example 5. ;ind the length of BC in the following figure.
2.43 cm 3.27 cm
60
o
40
o
B
C
A
Comment. -he easiest method is to find A first and then appl3 Sine 7aw. <ut 6 want to
introduce 3ou a corollar3 of +osine 7aw?
cos cos a b C c B + .
Solution. @sing the formula a2ove,
!.2* cos " 2."! cos $ !.*2 cm (correct to 2 d.p.) BC +
.
-he formula cos cos a b C c B + is out-of-s3lla2us. 6t can 2e used in A+ onl3.
6n example #, the given conditions are redundant. 6f the length of AB (or
CA) is not given, the 0uestion is still solva2le.
7et us end the discussion 23
I( (uestion. Simplif3
sin x
n
.
)age * of *
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