topic badge
iGCSE (2021 Edition)

21.01 Trigonometric functions

Lesson

The unit circle provides us with a visual understanding that the trigonometric functions of $\sin\theta$sinθ, $\cos\theta$cosθ and $\tan\theta$tanθ exist for angles larger than what can be contained in a right-angled triangle.

The unit circle is a circle of radius equal to $1$1 centred at the origin. By looking at the trigonometric ratios, we get the definitions of $\sin\theta$sinθ and $\cos\theta$cosθ on the unit circle as the $x$x and $y$y-values of a point on the unit circle after having been rotated by an angle of measure $\theta$θ in an anti-clockwise direction. Or, if $\theta$θ is negative, then the point is rotated in the clockwise direction.

Definition of $\cos\theta$cosθ and $\sin\theta$sinθ can extend beyond $0^\circ\le\theta\le90^\circ$0°θ90°.

 

The sine of the angle is defined to be the $y$y-coordinate of the point on the unit circle.

The cosine of the angle is defined to be the $x$x-coordinate o the point on the unit circle.

 

As we move through different values of $\theta$θ the value of $\cos\theta$cosθ and $\sin\theta$sinθ move accordingly between $-1$1 and $1$1.

The animation below shows this process for $y=\sin\theta$y=sinθ as $\theta$θ travels around the unit circle.

Graphs of sin and cos functions

If we plot the values of $\sin\theta$sinθ and $\cos\theta$cosθaccording to different values of $\theta$θ on the unit circle, we get the following graphs:

$y=\sin\theta$y=sinθ
$y=\cos\theta$y=cosθ

 


Properties of trigonometric graphs

Notice that all of these graphs are constructed with degrees on the horizontal axis. The function values behave in the same way as in the unit circle - for example, in the graph above of $y=\cos\theta$y=cosθ, we can see that it has negative $y$y-values for all of the angles in the domain of $90^\circ<\theta<180^\circ$90°<θ<180°. These are the values associated with the second quadrant where $\cos\theta$cosθ will be negative. 

The graphs of $y=\cos\theta$y=cosθ and $y=\sin\theta$y=sinθ have certain common properties. Each graph demonstrates repetition. We call the graphs of $y=\cos\theta$y=cosθ and $y=\sin\theta$y=sinθ periodic, or cyclic. We define the period as the length of one cycle. For both graphs, the period is $360^\circ$360°.

An example of a cycle

 

Because of the oscillating behaviour, both graphs have regions where the curve is increasing and decreasing. Remember that we say the graph of a particular curve is increasing if the $y$y-values increase as the $x$x-values increase. Similarly, we say the graph is decreasing if the $y$y-values decrease as the $x$x-values increase.

An example of where $y=\sin\theta$y=sinθ is decreasing

 

In addition, the height of each graph stays between $y=-1$y=1 and $y=1$y=1 for all values of $\theta$θ, since each coordinate of a point on the unit circle can be at most $1$1 unit from the origin. This means, the range of both the $\sin\theta$sinθ and $\cos\theta$cosθ functions is between $-1$1 and $1$1.

 

Practice questions

QUESTION 1

Consider the equation $y=\cos x$y=cosx.

  1. Complete the table of values.

    Give your answers in exact form.

    $x$x $0^\circ$0° $90^\circ$90° $180^\circ$180° $270^\circ$270° $360^\circ$360°
    $\cos x$cosx $\editable{}$ $\editable{}$ $\editable{}$ $\editable{}$ $\editable{}$
  2. Plot the graph of $y=\cos x$y=cosx.

    Loading Graph...

 
question 2

Consider the curve $y=\cos x$y=cosx drawn below and determine whether the following statements are true or false.

Loading Graph...

  1. The graph of $y=\cos x$y=cosx is cyclic.

    True

    A

    False

    B
  2. As $x$x approaches infinity, the height of the graph approaches infinity.

    True

    A

    False

    B
  3. The graph of $y=\cos x$y=cosx is increasing between $x=-180^\circ$x=180° and $x=-90^\circ$x=90°.

    True

    A

    False

    B

question 3

Consider the curve $y=\sin x$y=sinx drawn below and answer the following questions.

Loading Graph...

  1. What is the $y$y-intercept? Give your answer as coordinates in the form $\left(a,b\right)$(a,b).

  2. What is the maximum $y$y-value?

  3. What is the minimum $y$y-value?

question 4

Consider the curve $y=\cos x$y=cosx drawn below and answer the following questions.

Loading Graph...

  1. If one cycle of the graph of $y=\cos x$y=cosx starts at $x=-90^\circ$x=90°, when does the next cycle start?

  2. In which two of the following regions is the graph of $y=\cos x$y=cosx decreasing?

    $180^\circ180°<x<360°

    A

    $-360^\circ360°<x<180°

    B

    $-180^\circ180°<x<0°

    C

    $0^\circ0°<x<180°

    D
  3. What are the $x$x-values of the $x$x-intercepts in the region $0^\circ0°<x<360°? Give your answers on the same line separated by a comma.

Outcomes

0607E3.2G

Recognition of trigonometric, f(x) = a sin(bx); a cos(bx); tan x, function types from the shape of their graphs.

0607E8.8

Properties of the graphs of y = sin x, y = cos x, y=tanx.

What is Mathspace

About Mathspace