Formulas & special angles
Addition formulas (provided):
\begin{align*}
\sin (A \pm B) & = \sin A \cos B \pm \cos A \sin B \\
\cos (A \pm B) & = \cos A \cos B \mp \sin A \sin B \\
\tan (A \pm B) & = { \tan A \pm \tan B \over 1 \mp \tan A \tan B}
\end{align*}
Special angles:
|
$30^\circ \text{ or } {\pi \over 6}$
| $45^\circ \text{ or } {\pi \over 4}$
| $60^\circ \text{ or } {\pi \over 3}$
|
| $\sin \theta$ |
$ \phantom{.} {1 \over 2} $ |
$ \phantom{.} {1 \over \sqrt{2}} $ |
$ \phantom{.} {\sqrt{3} \over 2} $ |
| $\cos \theta$ |
$ \phantom{.} {\sqrt{3} \over 2} $ |
$ \phantom{.} {1 \over \sqrt{2}} $ |
$ \phantom{.} {1 \over 2} $ |
| $\tan \theta$ |
$ \phantom{.} {1 \over \sqrt{3}} $ |
$ \phantom{.} 1 $ |
$ \phantom{.} \sqrt{3} $ |
Questions
Find trigonometric ratio
1. Given that $ \sin (A + B) = {2 \over 5} $ and $ \sin A \cos B = {1 \over 10} $, find the value of
(i) $ \cos A \sin B $
Answer: $ {3 \over 10} $
Solutions
\begin{align*}
\sin (A + B) & = \sin A \cos B + \cos A \sin B \\
{2 \over 5} & = {1 \over 10} + \cos A \sin B \\
{3 \over 10} & = \cos A \sin B
\end{align*}
(ii) $ \sin (A - B) $
Answer: $ -{1 \over 5} $
Solutions
\begin{align*}
\sin (A - B) & = \sin A \cos B - \cos A \sin B \\
& = {1 \over 10} - {3 \over 10} \\
& = - {1 \over 5}
\end{align*}
(iii) $ {\tan A \over \tan B} $
Answer: $ {1 \over 3} $
Solutions
\begin{align*}
{ \tan A \over \tan B} & = \tan A \div \tan B \\
& = {\sin A \over \cos A} \div {\sin B \over \cos B} \\
& = {\sin A \over \cos A} \times {\cos B \over \sin B} \\
& = {\sin A \cos B \over \cos A \sin B} \\
& = {{1 \over 10} \over {3 \over 10} } \\
& = {1 \over 3}
\end{align*}
2. $A$ and $B$ are angles in the same quadrant such that $\cos A = {4 \over 5}$ and $\sin B = -{1 \over 2}$. Without using a calculator and leaving your answer in the form $a + b \sqrt{3}$, where $a$ and $b$ are rational numbers, find the value of
(i) $ \sin \left(A + {\pi \over 3} \right)$
Answer: $ -{3 \over 10} + {2 \over 5} \sqrt{3} $
Solutions
\begin{align*}
\cos A & = {4 \over 5} \phantom{000000} [\text{1st or 4th quadrant}] \\
\\
\sin B & = -{1 \over 2} \phantom{000000} [\text{3rd or 4th quadrant}] \\
\\
\therefore A & \text{ and } B \text{ lies in 4th quadrant} \\
\\
\cos A & ={4 \over 5} \\
{\text{Adj} \over \text{Hyp}} & = {4 \over 5}
\end{align*}
\begin{align*}
\sqrt{ 5^2 - 4^2 } & = 3 \\
\\
\sin \left(A + {\pi \over 3} \right) & = \sin A \cos {\pi \over 3} + \cos A \sin {\pi \over 3} \\
& = \left(-{3 \over 5}\right)\left(1 \over 2\right) + \left(4 \over 5\right) \left(\sqrt{3} \over 2\right)
\phantom{000000} [\text{Special angle } {\pi \over 3} = 60^\circ ] \\
& = -{3 \over 10} + {4 \sqrt{3} \over 10} \\
& = -{3 \over 10} + {2 \over 5} \sqrt{3}
\end{align*}
(ii) $ \tan (A + B) $
Answer: $ -{48 \over 39} - {25 \over 39} \sqrt{3} $
Solutions
\begin{align*}
\sin B & = -{1 \over 2} \\
{\text{Opp} \over \text{Hyp}} & = {-1 \over 2}
\end{align*}
\begin{align*}
\sqrt{2^2 - 1^2} & = \sqrt{3} \\
\\
\tan (A + B) & = { \tan A + \tan B \over 1 - \tan A \tan B } \\
& = { - {3 \over 4} + \left(-{1 \over \sqrt{3}}\right) \over 1 - \left(-{3 \over 4}\right) \left(-{1 \over \sqrt{3}}\right) } \\
& = { - {3 \over 4} - {1 \over \sqrt{3}} \over 1 - {3 \over 4 \sqrt{3}} } \times {4 \sqrt{3} \over 4 \sqrt{3}} \\
& = { - {12 \sqrt{3} \over 4} - {4 \sqrt{3} \over \sqrt{3}} \over 4 \sqrt{3} - {12 \sqrt{3} \over 4 \sqrt{3}} } \\
& = { - 3 \sqrt{3} - 4 \over 4 \sqrt{3} - 3 } \times { 4 \sqrt{3} + 3 \over 4 \sqrt{3} + 3 } \\
& = { - 12(3) - 9 \sqrt{3} - 16 \sqrt{3} - 12 \over (4 \sqrt{3})^2 - 3^2 }
\phantom{000000} [ (a + b)(a - b) = a^2 - b^2 ] \\
& = { - 36 - 25 \sqrt{3} - 12 \over 39} \\
& = { -48 - 25 \sqrt{3} \over 39} \\
& = - {48 \over 39} - {25 \sqrt{3} \over 39} \\
& = - {48 \over 39} - {25 \over 39} \sqrt{3}
\end{align*}
Special angles
3. Without using a calculator, express $\sin {\pi \over 12}$ in the form $ {\sqrt{a} - \sqrt{b} \over 4}$, where a and b are integers.
Answer: $ { \sqrt{6} - \sqrt{2} \over 4 } $
Solutions
\begin{align*}
\sin {\pi \over 12} & = \sin 15^\circ \\
& = \sin (60^\circ - 45^\circ)
\phantom{0000000000000000000} [\text{Express in terms of special angles}] \\
& = \sin 60^\circ \cos 45^\circ - \cos 60^\circ \sin 45^\circ
\phantom{00000} [\text{Use formula } \sin (A - B)] \\
& = \left(\sqrt{3} \over 2\right)\left(1 \over \sqrt{2}\right) - \left(1 \over 2\right)\left(1 \over \sqrt{2}\right) \\
& = {\sqrt{3} \over 2 \sqrt{2} } - {1 \over 2 \sqrt{2} } \\
& = { \sqrt{3} - 1 \over 2 \sqrt{2} } \times { \sqrt{2} \over \sqrt{2} }
\phantom{000000000000000000} [\text{Rationalise denominator}] \\
& = { \sqrt{2} (\sqrt{3} - 1) \over 2(2) } \\
& = { \sqrt{6} - \sqrt{2} \over 4 }
\end{align*}
Prove identity
4. Prove the identity $ { \sin (A - B) - \sin (A - B) \over \cos (A - B) - \cos (A + B) } = - \cot A $.
Solutions
\begin{align*}
\require{cancel}
\text{L.H.S} & = { \sin (A - B) - \sin (A + B) \over \cos (A - B) - \cos(A + B) } \\
& = { \sin A \cos B - \cos A \sin B - (\sin A \cos B + \cos A \sin B) \over \cos A \cos B + \sin A \sin B - (\cos A \cos B - \sin A \sin B) } \\
& = { \sin A \cos B - \cos A \sin B - \sin A \cos B - \cos A \sin B \over \cos A \cos B + \sin A \sin B - \cos A \cos B + \sin A \sin B } \\
& = { - \cancel{2} \cos A \cancel{\sin B} \over \cancel{2} \sin A \cancel{\sin B} } \\
& = { - \cos A \over \sin A} \\
& = - \cot A \\
& = \text{R.H.S}
\end{align*}
Solve equation
5. Solve the equation $ \cos (x + 60^\circ) = \cos x $ for $ 0^\circ \le x \le 360^\circ $.
Answer: $ 150^\circ, 330^\circ $
Solutions
\begin{align*}
\cos (x + 60^\circ) & = \cos x \\
\cos x \cos 60^\circ - \sin x \sin 60^\circ & = \cos x \\
(\cos x)\left(1 \over 2\right) - (\sin x) \left(\sqrt{3} \over 2\right) & = \cos x \\
{1 \over 2} \cos x - {\sqrt{3} \over 2} \sin x & = \cos x \\
-{\sqrt{3} \over 2} \sin x & = \cos x - {1 \over 2} \cos x \\
-{\sqrt{3} \over 2} \sin x & = {1 \over 2} \cos x \\
- \sqrt{3} \sin x & = \cos x \\
- {\sqrt{3} \sin x \over \cos x} & = 1 \\
- \sqrt{3} \tan x & = 1 \\
\tan x & = -{1 \over \sqrt{3}} \phantom{0000000} [\text{2nd or 4th quadrant}] \\
\\
\text{Basic angle, } \alpha & = \tan^{-1} \left(1 \over \sqrt{3}\right) \\
& = 30^\circ
\end{align*}
\begin{align*}
x & = 180^\circ - 30^\circ, 360^\circ - 30^\circ \\
& = 150^\circ, 330^\circ
\end{align*}
6. Solve the equation $ 4 \sin 3x \cos x = 4 \cos 3x \sin x + 3 $ for $ 0^\circ \le x \le 360^\circ $.
Answer: $ 24.3^\circ, 65.7^\circ, 204.3^\circ, 245.7^\circ $
Solutions
\begin{align*}
4 \sin 3x \cos x & = 4 \cos 3x \sin x + 3 \\
4 \sin 3x \cos x - 4 \cos 3x \sin x & = 3 \\
4( \sin 3x \cos x - \cos 3x \sin x) & = 3 \\
\sin 3x \cos x - \cos 3x \sin x & = {3 \over 4} \\
\sin (3x - x) & = {3 \over 4}
\phantom{0000000000} [\sin (A - B) = \sin A \cos B - \cos A \sin B] \\
\sin 2x & = {3 \over 4} \phantom{0000000000} [\text{1st or 2nd quadrant}] \\
\\
\text{Basic angle, } \alpha & = \sin^{-1} \left(3 \over 4\right) \\
& = 48.59^\circ
\end{align*}
\begin{align*}
[ \text{Since } & 0^\circ \le x \le 360^\circ, 0^\circ \le 2x \le 720^\circ ] \\
\\
2x & = 48.59^\circ, 180^\circ - 48.59^\circ \\
& = 48.59^\circ, 131.41^\circ, 48.59^\circ + 360^\circ, 131.41^\circ + 360^\circ \\
& = 48.59^\circ, 131.41^\circ, 408.59^\circ, 491.41^\circ \\
\\
x & = 24.295^\circ, 65.705^\circ, 204.295^\circ, 245.705^\circ \\
& \approx 24.3^\circ, 65.7^\circ, 204.3^\circ, 245.7^\circ
\end{align*}
Past year O level questions
| Year & paper |
Comments |
| 2024 P1 Question 3 |
Geometry problem |
| 2022 P2 Question 5 |
Special angles |
| 4049 Specimen P1 Question 8a |
Special angles |
| 2020 P1 Question 12 |
Long question with multiple parts on Addition formula |
| 2018 P1 Q2 |
Special angles (in context of angles in a triangle) |
| 2014 P1 Question 2 |
Find trigonometric ratio |
| 2010 P1 Question 10 |
Special angles (Link - Subscription required) |
| 2009 P2 Question 1 |
Find trigonometric ratio |
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