Special Angles and their Trig Functions

By Jeannie Taylor
Through Funding Provided by a
VCCS LearningWare Grant
We will first look at the special angles called the quadrantal
angles.

The quadrantal angles are those angles that lie on the axis
0  90,  180
of the Cartesian coordinate system: 270  .
,  , and
90 

180  0

270 
 We also need to be able to recognize these angles when they
are given to us in radian measure. Look at the smallest

possible positive angle in standard position, other than 0 , yet
 
having the same terminal side as 0 . This is a 360 angle
which is equivalent to 2 radians .  
90 2 radians
If we look at half of
that angle, we have
180  or  radians.
Looking at the angle 180  0
half-way between 0   radians 360   2 radians
and 180 or , we have


 
90 or .
2
3
Looking at the angle half-way 270  
2
radians
 
between 180 and 360 , we have  
 3 3 Moving all the way around from 0 to 360
270 or 2 radians which is 4 of 
completes the circle and and gives the 360
the total (360 or 2 radians).

angle which is equal to 2 radians.
 
We can count the quadrantal angles in terms of radians.
2
Notice that after counting these angles
based on portions of the full circle, 90 

two of these angles reduce to radians  1.57 radians
radians
2
with which we are familiar,  and 2.

Add the equivalent degree

measure to each of these
quadrantal angles.
2 0
180  2
radians 0 radians
4
We can approximate the
  radians radians 360 
2
radian measure of each  3.14 radians
 2 radians
angle to two decimal places.  6.28 radians
One of them, you already
know,   3.14 radians. It
will probably be a good idea 3
radians 4.71 radians
to memorize the others. 2
Knowing all of these 270 
numbers allows you to
quickly identify the location
of any angle.
 We can find the trigonometric functions of the
Remember the six
quadrantal angles using this definition. We will
trigonometric functions
defined using a point (x, y) begin with the point (1, 0) on the x axis.
on the terminal side of an 90 
angle,  . 
radians
2

y r
sin   csc  
r y
(1, 0) 0
x r 180  0 radians
cos   sec  
r x   radians or
y x 360 
tan   cot    2 radians
x y
270 
 3
For the angle 0 , we can see that x = 1 and radians
2
y = 0. To visualize the length of r, think

about the line of a 1 angle getting closer As this line falls on top of the x axis,

and closer to 0 at the point (1, 0). we can see that the length of r is 1.
 
Using the values, x = 1, y = 0, and r = 1, we list the six trig functions of 0.

And of course, these values also apply to 0 radians, 360 , 2 radians, etc.

sin 0   0 csc 0  is undefined 90 


radians
cos 0  1

sec 0  1
 2

0
tan 0    0 cot 0  is undefined
1
(1, 0) 0
180  0 radians
  radians or
360 
 2 radians
It will be just as easy to find the 270 
trig functions of the remaining 3
quadrantal angles using the point radians
2
(x, y) and the r value of 1.
  
sin 1 csc 1
2 2
  90 
cos  0 sec is undefined 
2 2 radians
2
 
tan is undefined cot  0
2 2

(0, 1)
sin   0 csc  is undefined 0
cos   1 sec   1 180  0 radians
tan   0 cot  is undefined   radians (-1, 0) or
(0, -1) 360 
 2 radians
3 3
sin  1 csc  1
2 2 270 
3 3 3
cos 0 sec  is undefined radians
2 2 2
3 3
tan is undefined cot 0
2 2
 Now let’s cut each quadrant in The first angle, half way between 0
half, which basically gives us 8  1  
and 2 would be 2  2  4 .
equal sections.

We can again count around the

circle, but this time we will count 2 
   90 
in terms of 4 radians. Counting 4 2

we say: 2 
3  135 
4  45 
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 4
, , , , , , , and .
4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4
Then reduce appropriately.
4
 8  2  360 
4 0
  180 
4
Since 0 to 2 radians is 90, we know

that 4 is half of 90or 45. Each


 5
successive angle is 45 more than the 7
previous angle. Now we can name all 4 4  315 
 225 
of these special angles in degrees.
6 3

4 2
 270 
It is much easier to construct this picture of angles in
both degrees and radians than it is to memorize a table
 
involving these angles (45 or 4 reference angles,).
   
Next we will look at two special triangles: the 45 – 45 – 90
  
triangle and the 30 – 60 – 90 triangle. These triangles will allow
us to easily find the trig functions of the special angles, 45 , 30 ,
and 60 .
The lengths of the legs of the 45

  
45 – 45 – 90 triangle are equal 2
to each other because their 1

corresponding angles are 45


equal. 1

If we let each leg have a length

of 1, then we find the hypotenuse You should memorize this
to be 2 using the Pythagorean triangle or at least be able
theorem. to construct it. These
angles will be used
frequently.
Using the definition of the trigonometric functions as the
ratios of the sides of a right triangle, we can now list all six
trig functions for a 45  angle.

1 2 45

sin 45 

 csc 45  2

2
2 2 1

2 45
cos 45 

sec 45   2
2 1

tan 45   1 cot 45   1
For the 30– 60– 90triangle, we will construct an equilateral
triangle (a triangle with 3 equal angles of 60  each, which
guarantees 3 equal sides).

If we let each side be a length

of 2, then cutting the triangle
30 
in half will give us a right
triangle with a base of 1 and a
2
hypotenuse of 2. This smaller
3
triangle now has angles of 30,
 
60, and 90 .
60 

1
We find the length of the other
You should memorize this leg to be 3 , using the
triangle or at least be able to Pythagorean theorem.
construct it. These angles,
also, will be used frequently.
Again, using the definition of the trigonometric functions as the
ratios of the sides of a right triangle, we can now list all the trig
 
functions for a 30 angle and a 60 angle.
1
sin 30   csc 30   2
2
3 2 2 3
cos 30   sec 30   
2 3 3
30 
1 3
tan 30    cot 30   3
2 3 3

60 
3 2 2 3
1 sin 60   csc 60   
2 3 3
1
cos 60   sec 60   2
2
1 3
tan 60   3 cot 60   
3 3
 30 

45
2 2
1
3


45
60 
1
1

Either memorizing or learning how to construct these

triangles is much easier than memorizing tables for the
  
45 , 30 , and 60 angles. These angles are used frequently
and often you need exact function values rather than
rounded values. You cannot get exact values on your
calculator.
 
45 30 
2
1
2
 3
45
1
60 

Knowing these triangles, understanding the use of reference

angles, and remembering how to get the proper sign of a
function enables us to find exact values of these special
angles.
Sine All
II A good way to
I
remember this chart is
III IV that ASTC stands for
All Students Take
Tangent Cosine Calculus.
 Example 1: Find the six trig functions of 330.

First draw the 330 degree angle.

Second, find the reference angle, 360 - 330 = 30
To compute the trig functions

of the 30 angle, draw the y

“special” triangle.

30 

S A
2
3

30 x

60  330
1
T C
Determine the correct sign for the trig functions
of 330 . Only the cosine and the secant are “+”.
Example 1 Continued: The six trig functions of 330 are:

1
sin 330   csc 330   2
2
3 2 2 3
cos 330  sec 330  
2 3 3
1 3 y
tan 330    cot 330   3
3 3

30 

S A
2
3

30 x

60  330
1
T C
 4
Example 2: Find the six trig functions of 3. (Slide 1)
4
First determine the location of
3
.
With a denominator of 3, the distance from 0 to  radians is cut into
thirds. Count around the Cartesian coordinate system beginning at 0
4
until we get to .
3
y 
2
We can see that the reference 3
angle is  , which is the same as
3

3
60. Therefore, we will
compute
the trig functions of 3 using the
60 angle of the special triangle.
3
3
3
30 
3
 x
2 3
3

4
60 
3
1
 4
Example 2: Find the six trig functions of 3. (Slide 2)
Before we write the functions, we need to determine the signs for each
function. Remember “All Students Take Calculus”. Since the angle,43 , is
located in the 3rd quadrant, only the tangent and cotangent are positive. All
the other functions are negative..
4 3 4 2 2 3
sin  csc  
3 2 3 3 3
y 
2
4 1 4 3 3
cos  sec  2
3 2 3
4 4 1 3
tan
3
 3 cot
3
 
3 3 S A

30  
 x
2 3
3
T C
4
60 
3
1
 Example 3: Find the exact value of cos   5  .
 4

We will first draw the angle to determine the quadrant.

 5   5 
We see that the angle    
 4 

 4 A
is located in the 2 quadrant
nd S
and the cos is negative in the 
2nd quadrant.  4 
 
4
0 radians
 4 


Note that the reference angle is 4
.
T C  
 
 3   4
  
We know that is the
4
 4 
 2 
 
same as 45, so the 
 4 
 45
reference angle is 45 . 1
2
5 1 2
Using the special triangle cos   4  =  2

2
we can see that the cos of 45


45 or 4 is 12 . 1
Practice Exercises

1. Find the value of the sec 360 without using a calculator.

2. Find the exact value of the tan 420 .
 5 
3. Find the exact value of sin  6  .

4. Find the tan 270 without using a calculator.
 7 
5. Find the exact value of the csc 
 3 
 .

6. Find the exact value of the cot (-225 ).
 13 
 
7. Find the exact value of the sin  4  .
 11 
 
8. Find the exact value of the cos  6  .
9. Find the value of the cos(- ) without using a calculator.

10. Find the exact value of the sec 315 .
 Key For The Practice Exercises

1. sec 360 = 1

2. tan 420 = 3
 5  
1
3. sin   =
 6  2

4. tan 270 is undefined
 7  2 2 3
5. csc 
 3 
 = 3

3

6. cot (-225 ) = -1
 13  1 2
   
7. sin  4  = 2 2
 11  3
 
8. cos  6  = 2

9. cos(-  ) = -1

10. sec 315 = 2

Problems 3 and 7 have solution explanations following this key.

 Problem 3: Find the sin   5  .
 6 

We will first draw the

angle by counting in a S A
negative direction in

units of . 0 radians
6 
6
 
5 
We can see that 6 is the  6
reference angle and we know
6 T C
  4 
2
that 6 is the same as 30 . So 
6 3 6
 
we will draw our 30 triangle 6
 1
and see that the sin 30 is 2 .
All that’s left is to find the correct sign.
30 
And we can see that the correct sign is “-”, since
2
3 the sin is always “-” in the 3rd quadrant.
 5  
1
60 
Answer: sin  6  = 2
1
  13 
Problem 7: Find the exact value of cos 
 4 
.

We will first draw the angle to determine the quadrant.

2
4 10
 13  4 9
We see that the angle 
 4


3 4 

is located in the 3rd quadrant

4
11 S A 4

and the cos is negative in the 4

8

3rd quadrant. 4
4
0 radians
4  12  
 
 4  4

Note that the reference angle is 4
. 7
5
13 T C 4
4
 4
We know that 4 is the 6
4
same as 45, so the 
 45
reference angle is 45 . 1
2
1 2
Using the special triangle cos 13  =  2

2
 4 
we can see that the cos of 45


45 or 4 is 12 . 1