Trig Cheat Sheet
Definition of the Trig Functions
Right triangle definition
Unit Circle Definition
For this definition we assume that
π
0 < θ < or 0◦ < θ < 90◦ .
2
For this definition θ is any angle.
opposite
hypotenuse
adjacent
cos(θ) =
hypotenuse
opposite
tan(θ) =
adjacent
sin(θ) =
hypotenuse
opposite
hypotenuse
sec(θ) =
adjacent
adjacent
cot(θ) =
opposite
csc(θ) =
y
=y
1
x
cos(θ) = = x
1
y
tan(θ) =
x
sin(θ) =
1
y
1
sec(θ) =
x
x
cot(θ) =
y
csc(θ) =
Facts and Properties
Domain
The domain is all the values of θ that can be
plugged into the function.
sin(θ), θ can be any angle
cos(θ), θ can be any angle
1
tan(θ), θ 6= n +
π, n = 0, ±1, ±2, . . .
2
csc(θ), θ 6= nπ, n = 0, ±1, ±2, . . .
1
sec(θ), θ 6= n +
π, n = 0, ±1, ±2, . . .
2
cot(θ), θ 6= nπ, n = 0, ±1, ±2, . . .
Period
The period of a function is the number, T , such
that f (θ + T ) = f (θ). So, if ω is a fixed number
and θ is any angle we have the following
periods.
2π
sin (ω θ)
→
T =
ω
2π
cos (ω θ)
→
T =
ω
π
tan (ω θ)
→
T =
ω
2π
csc (ω θ)
→
T =
ω
2π
sec (ω θ)
→
T =
ω
π
cot (ω θ)
→
T =
ω
Range
The range is all possible values to get out of the function.
−1 ≤ sin(θ) ≤ 1
−1 ≤ cos(θ) ≤ 1
−∞ < tan(θ) < ∞
−∞ < cot(θ) < ∞
sec(θ) ≥ 1 and sec(θ) ≤ −1
csc(θ) ≥ 1 and csc(θ) ≤ −1
© Paul Dawkins - https://tutorial.math.lamar.edu
Trig Cheat Sheet
Formulas and Identities
Tangent and Cotangent Identities
sin(θ)
cos(θ)
tan(θ) =
cot(θ) =
cos(θ)
sin(θ)
Reciprocal Identities
1
csc(θ) =
sin(θ)
1
sec(θ) =
cos(θ)
1
cot(θ) =
tan(θ)
1
csc(θ)
1
cos(θ) =
sec(θ)
1
tan(θ) =
cot(θ)
sin(θ) =
Half Angle Formulas
r
θ
1 − cos(θ)
sin
=±
2
2
r
θ
1 + cos(θ)
cos
=±
2
2
s
θ
1 − cos(θ)
tan
=±
2
1 + cos(θ)
Half Angle Formulas (alternate form)
sin2 (θ) =
Pythagorean Identities
1
2 (1 − cos(2θ))
= 12 (1 + cos(2θ))
tan2 (θ) =
sin2 (θ) + cos2 (θ) = 1
cos2 (θ)
tan2 (θ) + 1 = sec2 (θ)
Sum and Difference Formulas
2
1 + cot (θ) = csc2 (θ)
1 − cos(2θ)
1 + cos(2θ)
sin(α ± β) = sin(α) cos(β) ± cos(α) sin(β)
cos(α ± β) = cos(α) cos(β) ∓ sin(α) sin(β)
Even/Odd Formulas
sin(−θ) = − sin(θ)
csc(−θ) = − csc(θ)
cos(−θ) = cos(θ)
sec(−θ) = sec(θ)
tan(−θ) = − tan(θ)
cot(−θ) = − cot(θ)
tan(α ± β) =
tan(α) ± tan(β)
1 ∓ tan(α) tan(β)
Product to Sum Formulas
1
2
Periodic Formulas
sin(α) sin(β) =
If n is an integer then,
cos(α) cos(β) =
sin(θ + 2πn) = sin(θ) csc(θ + 2πn) = csc(θ) sin(α) cos(β) =
cos(θ + 2πn) = cos(θ) sec(θ + 2πn) = sec(θ) cos(α) sin(β) =
tan(θ + πn) = tan(θ)
[cos(α − β) − cos(α + β)]
1
2 [cos(α − β) + cos(α + β)]
1
2 [sin(α + β) + sin(α − β)]
1
2 [sin(α + β) − sin(α − β)]
cot(θ + πn) = cot(θ)
Sum to Product Formulas
α+β
α−β
sin(α) + sin(β) = 2 sin
cos
Degrees to Radians Formulas
2
2
If x is an angle in degrees and t is an angle in
α+β
α−β
sin(α) − sin(β) = 2 cos
sin
radians then
2
2
π
t
πx
180t
=
⇒
t=
and
x=
α+β
α−β
180
x
180
π
cos(α) + cos(β) = 2 cos
cos
2
2
Double Angle Formulas
α+β
α−β
cos(α)−cos(β) = −2 sin
sin
sin(2θ) = 2 sin(θ) cos(θ)
2
2
cos(2θ) = cos2 (θ) − sin2 (θ)
2
= 2 cos (θ) − 1
= 1 − 2 sin2 (θ)
tan(2θ) =
2 tan(θ)
1 − tan2 (θ)
Cofunction Formulas
π
sin
− θ = cos(θ)
2π
csc
− θ = sec(θ)
π2
tan
− θ = cot(θ)
2
π
− θ = sin(θ)
2
π
sec
− θ = csc(θ)
π2
cot
− θ = tan(θ)
2
cos
© Paul Dawkins - https://tutorial.math.lamar.edu
Trig Cheat Sheet
For any ordered pair on the unit circle (x, y) : cos(θ) = x and sin(θ) = y
Example
cos
5π
3
1
=
2
sin
5π
3
√
=−
3
2
© Paul Dawkins - https://tutorial.math.lamar.edu
Trig Cheat Sheet
Inverse Trig Functions
Definition
y = tan−1 (x) is equivalent to x = tan(y)
Inverse Properties
cos cos−1 (x) = x
sin sin−1 (x) = x
tan tan−1 (x) = x
Domain and Range
Alternate Notation
−1
y = sin
(x) is equivalent to x = sin(y)
y = cos−1 (x) is equivalent to x = cos(y)
Function
Domain
y = sin−1 (x)
−1 ≤ x ≤ 1
y = cos−1 (x)
−1 ≤ x ≤ 1
y = tan−1 (x)
−∞ < x < ∞
Range
π
π
− ≤y≤
2
2
0≤y≤π
π
π
− <y<
2
2
cos−1 (cos(θ)) = θ
sin−1 (sin(θ)) = θ
tan−1 (tan(θ)) = θ
sin−1 (x) = arcsin(x)
cos−1 (x) = arccos(x)
tan−1 (x) = arctan(x)
Law of Sines, Cosines and Tangents
Law of Sines
sin(α)
sin(β)
sin(γ)
=
=
a
b
c
Law of Cosines
a2 = b2 + c2 − 2bc cos(α)
b2 = a2 + c2 − 2ac cos(β)
c2
=
a2
+
b2
− 2ab cos(γ)
Law of Tangents
tan
a−b
=
a+b
tan
tan
b−c
=
b+c
tan
tan
a−c
=
a+c
tan
1
2 (α
1
2 (α
− β)
+ β)
1
(β
−
γ)
2
1
2 (β + γ)
1
2 (α − γ)
1
2 (α + γ)
Mollweide’s Formula
cos 12 (α − β)
a+b
=
c
sin 12 γ
© Paul Dawkins - https://tutorial.math.lamar.edu