How to find the value of any Trig Function, for any angle, ..

without using Trig Tables or a Trig Calculator 091611

1 ) Observe that for small angles ( x near zero ) . Sin x approximately equals x ( in radians ) Think of the graphs of y = Sin x and y = x. They are nearly identical near x = 0. So . You just convert degrees to radians to get the value for the Sine of the angle This is accurate to 5% for x < 30 degrees , 1.2 % for x < 15 degrees [ see more calculations below ] 2 ) If 0 < x < 30 deg ; Sin x approx = x. Thus Sin 30 = 30 ( pi / 180 ) = 30 x (3.1416 / 180) = 0.5238 The actual/exact value for Sin 30 deg is 0.500. So there is an error of 0.0238 / 0.5 4.7 % error

3 ) For larger angles, first recall the following Trig information . y a/ Complementary Angle Identity Sin x = Cos ( 90 - x ) and Cos x = Sin ( 90 - x ) b/ Pythagorean Identity Sin x + Cos x = 1 which implies Cos x = Sqrt [ 1 Sin 2 x ] c/ Reciprocal Identities Csc x = 1 / Sin x , Sec x = 1 / Cos x Cot x = 1 / Tan x
2 2

c x a

Sin x = b/c Cos y = b/c so Sin x = Cos y but y = 90 - x thus Sin x = Cos (90 - x)

d/ Double Angle Identity Sin 2x = 2 Sin x Cos x the value for Cos x ; Cos x = Sqrt [ 1 Sin 2 x ] 4 ) Knowing Sin x + the Pythagorean Identity Then Tan x = Sin x / Cos x ; The Reciprocal Identities yield the other 3 Trig Functions So we have all 6 Trig function values for any angle 0 < x < 30 deg 5 ) To Find Sin x for angles 60 < x < 90 deg use the Complementary Identity and repeat as in #2 above. Example; Sin 85 = Cos ( 90 - 85 ) = Cos 5 degrees. Cos 5 = Sqrt [ 1 Sin 2 5 ] So find Sin 5 deg with method in #2 above. All the other Trig values follow as in #4 above. Example; Find Cot 70 deg. First find Sin 70 deg = Cos 20 = Sqrt ( 1 Sin 2 20 ) then Cos 70 = Sqrt ( 1 Sin 2 70 ) ; then all other Trig functions including Cot 70 follow 6 ) To Find Sin x for angles 30 < x < 60 deg Use the Double Angle Identity : Sin 2x = 2 Sin x Cos x Example; Find Sin 50 deg. Sin 50 = 2 Sin 25 Cos 25 So find Sin 25 deg [ and Cos 25 deg ] as in method #2 above and use the formula Then all the other Trig function values for this angle follow Example; Find Csc 40 deg. Sin 40 = 2 Sin 20 Cos 20. Sin 20 = 20 ( 3.1416 / 180 ) = 0.349 Cos 20 = Sqrt [ 1 Sin 2 20 ] = 0.937; Sin 40 = 2 (.349 x .937) = 0.654; Csc 40 = 1 / Sin 40 = 1.529. Trig table value is 1.556 error of 1.556 - 1.529 1.7 % 7 ) Trig function values for angles 91 to 360 deg can be obtained using the Unit Circle and modifying the sign according to the quadrant of the angle and its relationship to 180 degrees. For 30 deg ..
Exs : Cos 150/210 deg = Cos 30 , Cos 330 = Cos 30 ; Sin 210/330 deg = Sin 30 , Sin 150 = Sin 30 Sec 150/210 deg = Sec 30 , Sec 330 = Sec 30 ; Csc 210/330 deg = Csc 30 , Csc 150 = Csc 30 Tan 150/330 deg = Tan 30 , Tan 210 = Tan 30 ; Cot 150/330 deg = Cot 30 , Cot 210 = Cot 30

8 ) Error Calculations; Sin x approximately = x for 0 < x < 30 deg ; Accuracies increase for smaller angles . At 30 degrees Sin 30 = 0.500 Sin 30 = 30 x 3.1416 / 180 = 0.5238 At 20 degrees Sin 20 = 0.342 Sin 20 = 20 x 3.1416 / 180 = 0.3492 At 15 degrees Sin 15 = 0.2588 Sin 15 = 15 x 3.1416 / 180 = 0.2618 At 10 degrees Sin 10 = 0.1736 Sin 10 = 10 x 3.1416 / 180 = 0.1745

4.7 % 2.1 % 1.2 % 0.1 %

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