Right triangle: A triangle in which one angle is a right angle ![](../images/12-Right-Triangle-Trigonometry-and-Trigonometric-Functions-of-Any-Angle_clip_image002_0000.gif)
Trigonometric functions on a circle with radius r:
For any angle
in standard position, let
be the point on the terminal side of
that is also on the circle
.
,
,
,
,
, and
.
The trigonometric functions of an acute angle:
If
is an acute angle of a right triangle, the six trigonometric functions of
are as follow:
![](../images/12-Right-Triangle-Trigonometry-and-Trigonometric-Functions-of-Any-Angle_clip_image025_0000.gif)
,
,
,
,
, and
.
Complementary angles:
Two angles are called complementary if their sum equals to 90 degrees.
Angle of elevation:
The acute angle measured from the horizontal to a line-of-sight observation of the object.
Angle of depression:
The acute angle made by the line-of –sight observation of the object and the horizontal.
The trigonometric functions of any angle:
Let
be an angle in standard position and let P(x,y) be a point, not the origin, on the terminal side that can be in any quadrant. If
is the distance from the origin to the point P(x,y), then
,
,
,
,
, and ![](../images/12-Right-Triangle-Trigonometry-and-Trigonometric-Functions-of-Any-Angle_clip_image048_0000.gif)
Trigonometric identities:
,
,
,
and
.