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Perplex
Perplex
Dashboard
Topics
Exponents & LogarithmsApproximations & ErrorSequences & SeriesMatricesComplex NumbersFinancial Mathematics
Cartesian plane & linesFunction TheoryModellingTransformations & asymptotes
2D & 3D GeometryVoronoi DiagramsTrig equations & identitiesVectorsGraph Theory
ProbabilityDescriptive StatisticsBivariate StatisticsDistributions & Random VariablesInference & Hypotheses
DifferentiationIntegrationDifferential Equations
Review VideosFormula BookletMy Progress
BlogLanding Page
Sign UpLogin
Perplex
IB Math AIHL
/
Trig equations & identities
/
Skills
Edit

Skill Checklist

Track your progress across all skills in your objective. Mark your confidence level and identify areas to focus on.

Track your progress:

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Working on it

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📖 = included in formula booklet • 🚫 = not in formula booklet

Track your progress:

Don't know

Working on it

Confident

📖 = included in formula booklet • 🚫 = not in formula booklet

IB Math AIHL
/
Trig equations & identities
/
Skills
Edit

Skill Checklist

Track your progress across all skills in your objective. Mark your confidence level and identify areas to focus on.

Track your progress:

Don't know

Working on it

Confident

📖 = included in formula booklet • 🚫 = not in formula booklet

Track your progress:

Don't know

Working on it

Confident

📖 = included in formula booklet • 🚫 = not in formula booklet

Skill Checklist

Track your progress across all skills in your objective. Mark your confidence level and identify areas to focus on.

19 Skills Available

Track your progress:

Don't know

Working on it

Confident

📖 = included in formula booklet • 🚫 = not in formula booklet

Track your progress:

Don't know

Working on it

Confident

📖 = included in formula booklet • 🚫 = not in formula booklet

Circles: Radians, arcs and sectors

7 skills
Circumference & Area of a circle
SL AI 3.4

The ratio of a circle's perimeter to its diameter is constant in all circles. This constant is called ​π​ (pi). Since the diameter is twice the radius, the circumference of a circle is

​
C=2πr📖
​

The area of a circle is

​
A=πr2📖
​

where ​r​ is the radius of the circle.

Arc length (degrees)
SL AI 3.4

An arc is part of the circumference of a circle. It is defined by the radius ​r​ of the circle and the angle ​θ​ that the arc "sweeps out" over the circle's perimeter.


Since the arc length is a fraction of the overall circumference determined by the value of the angle ​θ, the arc length is calculated as

​
l=360∘θ​×2πr
​
Sector (degrees)
SL AI 3.4

A sector is an area enclosed between a circular arc and the two radii of the circle touching each end of the arc, like a slice of pizza.

The area of a circle is ​πr2, and there are ​360​ degrees of rotation in a circle. Therefore, a sector with central angle ​θ​ is ​360∘θ​​ of a full circle, and has area

​
A=360∘θ​×πr2
​


Radian measure
AHL AI 3.7

One radian is the interior angle of an arc which has a length equivalent to the radius ​r​ of the circle. Since the circumference of a circle is given by ​2πr, then, there are ​2π​ total radians in a circle (the equivalent of ​360°​).

Converting Between Radians & Degrees
AHL AI 3.7

Since the perimeter of a full circle is ​2πr, the angle ​θ​ corresponding to a full circle (​360°​) is

​
r2πr​rad=360°
​

So

​
πrad=180°🚫
​


Some key angles in radians and degrees:

Degrees

Radians

​0°​

​0​

​30°​

​6π​​

​45°​

​4π​​

​60°​

​3π​​

​90°​

​2π​​

Arc length (radians)
AHL AI 3.7

An arc is defined by the radius ​r​ of the circle and the angle ​θ​ that the arc "sweeps out" over the circle's perimeter.

Since the arc length is a fraction of the overall circumference determined by the value of the angle ​θ, the arc length is calculated as

​
l=rθ
​
Sector area (radians)
AHL AI 3.7

A sector is an area enclosed between a circular arc and the two radii of the circle touching each end of the arc:

The area of a circle is ​πr2, and there are ​2π​ radians in a circle. Therefore, a sector with central angle ​θ​ is ​2πθ​​ of a full circle, and has area

​
A=2πθ​⋅πr2
​

so

​
A=21​θr2📖
​

The Unit Circle

7 skills
Sine and Cosine on the Unit Circle
AHL AI 3.8

The key idea with triangles who's hypotenuse lie on the unit circle (that form an angle of ​θ​ with the ​x​-axis) is that ​cosθ​ represents length of the base, and ​sinθ​ represents the height.


Take a look at the graph below and notice the following relationships always hold:

​
cosθsinθ​=x-coordinate=y-coordinate​
​


Key values of Sin, Cos & Tan
AHL AI 3.8

The following table shows the values of ​sinθ​ and ​cosθ​ for the so called critical angles ​θ. These are angles that give "nice" values for ​sin​ and ​cos:


​θ​ (rad)

​sinθ​

​cosθ​

​0​

​0​

​1​

​6π​​

​21​​

​2√3​​

​4π​​

​2√2​​

​2√2​​

​3π​​

​2√3​​

​21​​

​2π​​

​1​

​0​



Quadrants
AHL AI 3.8

The unit circle can be divided into quadrants based on the sign of ​cosθ​ and ​sinθ. These correspond to the ​4​ quadrants produced by the intersection of the ​x​ and ​y​ axes. The quadrants are denoted ​Q1,  ​Q2,  ​Q3​ and ​Q4.

Quadrant

​sin​

​cos​

​Q1​

+

+

​Q2​

+

-

​Q3​

-

-

​Q4​

-

+

Periodicity
SL AI 2.5

Since a full circle is ​2π​ radians, adding ​2π​ to any angle ​θ​ gives the same point on the unit circle. In fact, adding any integer multiple of ​2π​ gives the same point:

​
cos(θ+2kπ)sin(θ+2kπ)​=cosθ=sinθ​
​
Symmetry About the X-axis
AHL AI 3.8
​
sin(−θ)cos(−θ)​=−sinθ=cosθ​
​
Symmetry About the Y-axis
AHL AI 3.8
​
sin(π−θ)cos(π−θ)​=sinθ=−cosθ​
​
Symmetry About the Origin
AHL AI 3.8
​
sin(θ+π)cos(θ+π)​=−sinθ=−cosθ​
​

Trigonometric Functions

3 skills
Sine and Cosine functions
SL AI 2.5

Notice that both ​sinx​ and ​cosx​ have a domain of ​x∈R​ and a range of ​(−1,1).

Sinusoidal Functions
SL AI 2.5

A sinusoidal function is a generalization of ​sin​ and ​cos​ to the form

​
asin(b(x+c))+d
​

or

​
acos(b(x+c))+d
​
Tan function
AHL AI 3.8

The ​tan​ function is defined by ​tanx=cosxsinx​.

The domain is thus ​x=22k+1​π​ (there are vertical asymptotes at those ​x′s​), and the range is all real numbers ​R.

The function has roots at ​x=0,±π,±2π…​ (ie ​x=kπ​ where ​k∈Z​)

Trig Equations

1 skill
Solving trig equations algebraically in specific domain
AHL AI 3.8

When we have a trig equation where the argument to the trig function is of the form ​ax+b, we need to find the domain of ​ax+b​ using the domain of ​x. For example, if ​0≤x<2π​ and we have ​sin(2x+2π​)=1, then

​
2⋅0+2π​≤2x+2π​<2⋅2π+2π​
​

therefore

​
2π​≤2x+2π​<29π​
​

Trigonometric Identities

1 skill
sin²θ+cos²θ=1
AHL AI 3.8

For any value of ​θ:

​
sin2θ+cos2θ=1📖
​

Skill Checklist

Track your progress across all skills in your objective. Mark your confidence level and identify areas to focus on.

19 Skills Available

Track your progress:

Don't know

Working on it

Confident

📖 = included in formula booklet • 🚫 = not in formula booklet

Track your progress:

Don't know

Working on it

Confident

📖 = included in formula booklet • 🚫 = not in formula booklet

Circles: Radians, arcs and sectors

7 skills
Circumference & Area of a circle
SL AI 3.4

The ratio of a circle's perimeter to its diameter is constant in all circles. This constant is called ​π​ (pi). Since the diameter is twice the radius, the circumference of a circle is

​
C=2πr📖
​

The area of a circle is

​
A=πr2📖
​

where ​r​ is the radius of the circle.

Arc length (degrees)
SL AI 3.4

An arc is part of the circumference of a circle. It is defined by the radius ​r​ of the circle and the angle ​θ​ that the arc "sweeps out" over the circle's perimeter.


Since the arc length is a fraction of the overall circumference determined by the value of the angle ​θ, the arc length is calculated as

​
l=360∘θ​×2πr
​
Sector (degrees)
SL AI 3.4

A sector is an area enclosed between a circular arc and the two radii of the circle touching each end of the arc, like a slice of pizza.

The area of a circle is ​πr2, and there are ​360​ degrees of rotation in a circle. Therefore, a sector with central angle ​θ​ is ​360∘θ​​ of a full circle, and has area

​
A=360∘θ​×πr2
​


Radian measure
AHL AI 3.7

One radian is the interior angle of an arc which has a length equivalent to the radius ​r​ of the circle. Since the circumference of a circle is given by ​2πr, then, there are ​2π​ total radians in a circle (the equivalent of ​360°​).

Converting Between Radians & Degrees
AHL AI 3.7

Since the perimeter of a full circle is ​2πr, the angle ​θ​ corresponding to a full circle (​360°​) is

​
r2πr​rad=360°
​

So

​
πrad=180°🚫
​


Some key angles in radians and degrees:

Degrees

Radians

​0°​

​0​

​30°​

​6π​​

​45°​

​4π​​

​60°​

​3π​​

​90°​

​2π​​

Arc length (radians)
AHL AI 3.7

An arc is defined by the radius ​r​ of the circle and the angle ​θ​ that the arc "sweeps out" over the circle's perimeter.

Since the arc length is a fraction of the overall circumference determined by the value of the angle ​θ, the arc length is calculated as

​
l=rθ
​
Sector area (radians)
AHL AI 3.7

A sector is an area enclosed between a circular arc and the two radii of the circle touching each end of the arc:

The area of a circle is ​πr2, and there are ​2π​ radians in a circle. Therefore, a sector with central angle ​θ​ is ​2πθ​​ of a full circle, and has area

​
A=2πθ​⋅πr2
​

so

​
A=21​θr2📖
​

The Unit Circle

7 skills
Sine and Cosine on the Unit Circle
AHL AI 3.8

The key idea with triangles who's hypotenuse lie on the unit circle (that form an angle of ​θ​ with the ​x​-axis) is that ​cosθ​ represents length of the base, and ​sinθ​ represents the height.


Take a look at the graph below and notice the following relationships always hold:

​
cosθsinθ​=x-coordinate=y-coordinate​
​


Key values of Sin, Cos & Tan
AHL AI 3.8

The following table shows the values of ​sinθ​ and ​cosθ​ for the so called critical angles ​θ. These are angles that give "nice" values for ​sin​ and ​cos:


​θ​ (rad)

​sinθ​

​cosθ​

​0​

​0​

​1​

​6π​​

​21​​

​2√3​​

​4π​​

​2√2​​

​2√2​​

​3π​​

​2√3​​

​21​​

​2π​​

​1​

​0​



Quadrants
AHL AI 3.8

The unit circle can be divided into quadrants based on the sign of ​cosθ​ and ​sinθ. These correspond to the ​4​ quadrants produced by the intersection of the ​x​ and ​y​ axes. The quadrants are denoted ​Q1,  ​Q2,  ​Q3​ and ​Q4.

Quadrant

​sin​

​cos​

​Q1​

+

+

​Q2​

+

-

​Q3​

-

-

​Q4​

-

+

Periodicity
SL AI 2.5

Since a full circle is ​2π​ radians, adding ​2π​ to any angle ​θ​ gives the same point on the unit circle. In fact, adding any integer multiple of ​2π​ gives the same point:

​
cos(θ+2kπ)sin(θ+2kπ)​=cosθ=sinθ​
​
Symmetry About the X-axis
AHL AI 3.8
​
sin(−θ)cos(−θ)​=−sinθ=cosθ​
​
Symmetry About the Y-axis
AHL AI 3.8
​
sin(π−θ)cos(π−θ)​=sinθ=−cosθ​
​
Symmetry About the Origin
AHL AI 3.8
​
sin(θ+π)cos(θ+π)​=−sinθ=−cosθ​
​

Trigonometric Functions

3 skills
Sine and Cosine functions
SL AI 2.5

Notice that both ​sinx​ and ​cosx​ have a domain of ​x∈R​ and a range of ​(−1,1).

Sinusoidal Functions
SL AI 2.5

A sinusoidal function is a generalization of ​sin​ and ​cos​ to the form

​
asin(b(x+c))+d
​

or

​
acos(b(x+c))+d
​
Tan function
AHL AI 3.8

The ​tan​ function is defined by ​tanx=cosxsinx​.

The domain is thus ​x=22k+1​π​ (there are vertical asymptotes at those ​x′s​), and the range is all real numbers ​R.

The function has roots at ​x=0,±π,±2π…​ (ie ​x=kπ​ where ​k∈Z​)

Trig Equations

1 skill
Solving trig equations algebraically in specific domain
AHL AI 3.8

When we have a trig equation where the argument to the trig function is of the form ​ax+b, we need to find the domain of ​ax+b​ using the domain of ​x. For example, if ​0≤x<2π​ and we have ​sin(2x+2π​)=1, then

​
2⋅0+2π​≤2x+2π​<2⋅2π+2π​
​

therefore

​
2π​≤2x+2π​<29π​
​

Trigonometric Identities

1 skill
sin²θ+cos²θ=1
AHL AI 3.8

For any value of ​θ:

​
sin2θ+cos2θ=1📖
​