MHB Evaluate Trig Expressions....Part 1

  • Thread starter Thread starter mathdad
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Trig
AI Thread Summary
The discussion focuses on evaluating trigonometric expressions, specifically sin 210° and sin (-210°), using a textbook method. For sin 210°, the reference angle is correctly identified as 30°, leading to the evaluation of sin 210° as -1/2 due to its position in Quadrant III. In contrast, for sin (-210°), the coterminal angle is 150°, with a reference angle of 30° in Quadrant II, resulting in sin (-210°) being 1/2. Participants inquire about formulas for determining reference and coterminal angles in trigonometry. The thread emphasizes the importance of understanding reference angles and their signs based on quadrant locations.
mathdad
Messages
1,280
Reaction score
0
Evaluate the trig expressions using the method shown in the textbook. Steps A through C show the method given in the textbook.

1. sin 210°

A. We are told to graph sin 210°. We are in Quadrant 3.

B. Find the reference angle R.

R = 270° - 210°

R = 60°

C. Evaluate sin R.

sin 60° = -sqrt{3}/2

Book's answer is -1/2.

2. sin (-210°)

A. We are told to graph sin (-210°).
We are in Quadrant 2.

B. Find the reference angle R.

R = -270° - (-210°)

R = -270° + 210°

R = -60

C. Evaluate sin R

sin (-60°) = sqrt{3}/2

Book's answer is 1/2.
 
Mathematics news on Phys.org
1. reference angle for 210 is 30 degrees, not 60. sin(30) = 1/2, but since the reference angle is in quad III where sine is negative, sin(210) = -1/2

2. -210 is coterminal with 150

reference angle is 30 in quad II where sine is positive

sin(30) = 1/2
 
skeeter said:
1. reference angle for 210 is 30 degrees, not 60. sin(30) = 1/2, but since the reference angle is in quad III where sine is negative, sin(210) = -1/2

2. -210 is coterminal with 150

reference angle is 30 in quad II where sine is positive

sin(30) = 1/2

Is there a formula(s) for finding the reference angle and coterminal angle in trigonometry?
 
Suppose ,instead of the usual x,y coordinate system with an I basis vector along the x -axis and a corresponding j basis vector along the y-axis we instead have a different pair of basis vectors ,call them e and f along their respective axes. I have seen that this is an important subject in maths My question is what physical applications does such a model apply to? I am asking here because I have devoted quite a lot of time in the past to understanding convectors and the dual...
Fermat's Last Theorem has long been one of the most famous mathematical problems, and is now one of the most famous theorems. It simply states that the equation $$ a^n+b^n=c^n $$ has no solutions with positive integers if ##n>2.## It was named after Pierre de Fermat (1607-1665). The problem itself stems from the book Arithmetica by Diophantus of Alexandria. It gained popularity because Fermat noted in his copy "Cubum autem in duos cubos, aut quadratoquadratum in duos quadratoquadratos, et...
Insights auto threads is broken atm, so I'm manually creating these for new Insight articles. In Dirac’s Principles of Quantum Mechanics published in 1930 he introduced a “convenient notation” he referred to as a “delta function” which he treated as a continuum analog to the discrete Kronecker delta. The Kronecker delta is simply the indexed components of the identity operator in matrix algebra Source: https://www.physicsforums.com/insights/what-exactly-is-diracs-delta-function/ by...

Similar threads

Back
Top