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Trigonometry

Section 8.3 The Reciprocal Functions

Subsection Three More Functions

The three basic trigonometric functions occur so often as the denominator of a fraction that it is convenient to give names to their reciprocals. We define three new trigonometric functions as follows.

Definition 8.47. Three More Functions.

If θ is an angle in standard position, and P(x,y) is a point on the terminal side, then we define the following functions.
The  secant:      sec(θ)=rxThe  cosecant:    csc(θ)=ryThe  cotangent:   cot(θ)=xy
angle
We can find exact values for all six trig functions at a given angle if we know the value of any one of them.

Example 8.48.

If sec(θ)=3, and π2θ0, find exact values for the other five trig functions.

Solution.

Because π2θ0, we draw a reference triangle in the fourth quadrant, as shown at right. Because sec(θ)=3=31, we label the horizontal leg with x=1 and the hypotenuse with r=3.
angle
From the Pythagorean theorem, we find y=8=22. We can now compute the values of the six trigonometric ratios.
cos(θ)=xr=13sec(θ)=rx=31=3sin(θ)=yr=223csc(θ)=ry=322=324tan(θ)=yx=221=22cot(θ)=xy=122=24

Checkpoint 8.49.

If csc(θ)=4, and 90θ180, find exact values for the other five trig functions.
Answer.
cos(θ)=154,  sin(θ)=14,  tan(θ)=115,  sec(θ)=415,  cot(θ)=15
By comparing the definitions of secant, cosecant, and cotangent to the three basic trigonometric functions, we find the following relationships.

Reciprocal Trigonometric Functions.

The  secant function:      sec(θ)=1cos(θ)The  cosecant function:    csc(θ)=1sin(θ)The  cotangent function:   cot(θ)=1tan(θ)
Calculators do not have keys for the secant, cosecant, and cotangent functions; instead, we calculate their values as reciprocals.

Example 8.50.

Use a calculator to approximate sec(47) to three decimal places.

Solution.

With the calculator in degree mode, enter
1 ÷ COS 47 ) ENTER
to obtain sec(47)1.466. Or we can calculate cos(47) first, and then use the reciprocal key:
COS 47 ) ENTER x1 ENTER

Checkpoint 8.51.

Use a calculator to approximate csc(132) to three decimal places.
Answer.
1.346
Of course, we can also evaluate the reciprocal trig functions for angles in radians, or for real numbers. Thus for example,
csc(3.5)=1sin(3.5)=2.8508      and      cot(4)=1tan(4)=0.8637
In particular, the exact values for the reciprocal trig functions of the special angles are easily obtained.
Exact Values for the Special Angles
θ sec(θ) sec(θ) cot(θ)
0 1 undefined undefined
π6 233 2 3
π4 2 2 1
π3 2 233 13
π2 undefined 1 0

Caution 8.52.

The reciprocal functions are not the same as the inverse trig functions!
For example, sec(0.8) is not equal to cos1(0.8). Remember that  cos1(0.8)  is an angle, namely the angle whose cosine is 0.8, while  sec(0.8)  is the reciprocal of the cosine of 0.8 radians, or 1cos(0.8). You can check on your calculator that
cos1(0.8)=0.6435 radians,    and    sec(0.8)=1.4353
Each of the reciprocal functions is undefined when its denominator is equal to zero. For example, the secant is undefined when cos(θ)=0, or when θ is an odd multiple of 90.

Example 8.53.

For which angles is the cosecant undefined?

Solution.

The cosecant is undefined when its denominator, sin(θ), equals zero, and sin(θ)=0 when θ is a multiple of 180. In radians, csc(θ) is undefined if θ is a multiple of π.

Checkpoint 8.54.

For what angles is the cotangent undefined? Give your answers in degrees and in radians.
Answer.
Multiples of 180, or multiples of π.

Note 8.55.

Although tan(π2) is undefined, cot(π2)=0.

Subsection Application to Right Triangles

In Chapter 2 we defined three trigonometric ratios for an acute angle; namely, sine, cosine, and tangent. When we take the reciprocals of those ratios, we obtain expressions for the secant, cosecant, and cotangent.

Reciprocal Trigonometric Ratios.

If θ is one of the acute angles in a right triangle,
sec(θ)=hypotenuseadjacentcsc(θ)=hypotenuseoppositecot(θ)=adjacentopposite
triangle
Although we can express any relationship between the sides of a right triangle using sine, cosine, and tangent, sometimes it is more convenient to use one of the reciprocal functions.

Example 8.56.

The length, L, of the shadow cast by a flagpole on a sunny day depends on the height, h, of the flagpole and the angle, θ, that the sun’s rays make with ground.
flagpole and shadow
  1. Write an expression for the length, L, of the shadow cast by a flagpole of height h when the sun makes an angle of θ from the ground.
  2. Find the length (to the nearest 0.01 meter) of the shadow cast by a 3-meter flagpole when the sun makes an angle of 20 from the ground.

Solution.

  1. From the figure, we see that Lh=cot(θ), or L=hcot(θ).
  2. Substiting 3 for h and 20 for θ, we find
    L=3cot(20)=3(2.7475)=8.24
    The shadow is about 8.24 meters long.

Checkpoint 8.57.

The area A of a regular polygon with n sides having perimeter L satisfies
A=L24ncotπn
Refer to the figure at right showing n=6 to prove this formula in the following steps.
hexagon
  1. Find an expression for the angle θ in terms of n.
  2. Find an expression for the base of the triangle shown.
  3. Find an expression for the height of the triangle.
  4. Write an expression for the area of the triangle, and then for the area of the entire polygon.
Answer.
  1. θ=πn
  2. b=Ln
  3. h=L2ncot(πn)
  4. AT=L24n2cot(πn),  AP=L24ncot(πn)

Subsection Graphs of the Reciprocal Functions

We can obtain graphs of the reciprocal trig functions by plotting points, as we did for the sine, cosine and tangent functions. However, it is more enlightening to construct these graphs as the reciprocals of the three basic functions.

Example 8.58.

Use the graph of y=cos(x) to construct a graph of f(x)=sec(x).

Solution.

Consider the graph of y=cos(x) shown at left below.
When x=π2, π2 and 3π2, cos(x)=0, so sec(x) is undefined at these x-values, and we insert vertical asymptotes at those x-values to start our graph of y=sec(x), as shown at right below.
cosine
grid
To find some points on the graph, we look at points on the graph of y=cos(x). At each x-value, the y-coordinate of the point on the graph of y=sec(x) is the reciprocal of cos(x).
For example, at x=0 and x=2π, we have cos(x)=1, so sec(x)=11=1. Thus, we plot the points (0,1) and (2π,1) on the graph of f(x)=sec(x). Similarly, at x=π and x=π, cos(x)=1, so the value of sec(x) is 11=1, and we plot the points (π,1) and (π,1) on the graph of f(x)=sec(x).
Finally, we notice that the values of cos(x) are decreasing toward 0 as x increases from 0 to π2, so the graph of f(x)=sec(x) increases toward on the same interval.
By similar arguments, we fill in the graph of f(x)=sec(x) between each of the vertical asymptotes, to produce the graph below.
cosine and secant

Checkpoint 8.59.

Use the graph of y=tan(x) to sketch a graph of g(x)=cot(x).
Answer.
tan and cotan
The graphs of the three new functions are shown below, with x in radians. Note that the secant function is undefined at odd multiples of π2, the values at which cos(x)=0. The cosecant is undefined where sin(x)=0, namely at multiples of π. The cotangent is also undefined at multiples of π, because tan(x)=0 at those values.
reciprocal trig functions

Example 8.60.

State the domain and range of the secant function.

Solution.

Because the cosine is defined for all real numbers, the domain of the secant includes all real numbers except for values where the cosine is zero. These values are the odd multiples of π2, that is, π2, 3π2, 5π2, , and their opposites.
Because the range of the cosine consists of all y-values with 1y1, the range of the secant includes the reciprocals of those values, namely y1 and y1.

Checkpoint 8.61.

State the domain and range of the cosecant and cotangent functions.
Answer.
Domain of cosecant: all real numbers except integer multiples of π; Range of cosecant: (,1][1,)
Domain of cotangent: all real numbers except integer multiples of π; Range of cotangent: all real numbers

Subsection Solving Equations

From the graph of the secant function, we can see that the equation sec(θ)=k has two solutions between 0 and 2π if k1 or k1, but no solution for 1<k<1. The same is true of the cosecant function: the equation csc(θ)=k has no solution for 1<k<1.

Example 8.62.

Solve   csc(θ)=233   for θ between 0 and 2π.

Solution.

We take the reciprocal of each side of the equation to obtain
sin(θ)=323=32
Because 32 is one of the special values, we recognize that one of the solutions is θ=π3. The sine and the cosecant are also positive in the second quadrant, so the second solution is ππ3=2π3.

Checkpoint 8.63.

Solve   sec(θ)=1.6   for θ between 0 and 2π.
Answer.
θ=2.25,4.04

Subsection Using Identities

All six of the trigonometric ratios are related. If we know one of the ratios, we can use identities to find any of the others.

Example 8.64.

If  sec(θ)=3, and π2θ0, find an exact value for csc(θ).

Solution.

Because sec(θ)=1cos(θ), we see that 1cos(θ)=3, or cos(θ)=13. We use the Pythagorean identity to find the sine.
cos2(θ)+sin2(θ)=1Substitute 13 for cos(θ).(13)2+sin2(θ)=1Subtract (13)2=19 from both sides.sin2(θ)=119=89
Because θ lies in the fourth quadrant, where the sine function is negative, we choose the negative square root for sin(θ). Once we know sin(θ), we calculate its reciprocal to find csc(θ).
sin(θ)=89=223,  and  csc(θ)=1sin(θ)=322=324

Checkpoint 8.65.

If  csc(θ)=133, and πθ3π2, find an exact value for sec(θ).
Answer.
sec(θ)=132
Identities are especially useful if the trig ratios are algebraic expressions, rather than numerical values. In the next example, we use the cotangent identity.

Cotangent Identity.

cot(θ)=1tan(θ)=cos(θ)sin(θ),    sin(θ)0

Example 8.66.

If  csc(x)=w and 0<x<π2, find an expression for cot(x).

Solution.

Because the sine is the reciprocal of the cosecant, we have sin(x)=1csc(x)=1w. We substitute 1w for sin(x) in the Pythagorean identity to find
cos(x)=±1sin2(x)=±1(1w)2
We choose the positive root because cosine is positive in the first quadrant, and simplify to get
cos(x)=11w2=w21w2=w21|w|
We can replace |w| by w in this last expression because w>0. (Do you see why w>0?) Finally, because the cotangent is the reciprocal of the tangent, we have
cot(x)=cos(x)sin(x)=w21w1w=w21

Checkpoint 8.67.

If  sec(t)=2a and 3π2<t<2π, find expressions for csc(t) and cot(t).
Answer.
csc(t)=21a2,  cot(t)=a1a2
We can often simplify trigonometric expressions by first converting all the trig ratios to sines and cosines.

Example 8.68.

Simplify  sec(θ)tan(θ)sin(θ).

Solution.

We replace  sec(θ)  by  1cos(θ)  and  tan(θ)  by  sin(θ)cos(θ)  to get
1cos(θ)sin(θ)cos(θ)sin(θ)=1cos(θ)sin2(θ)cos(θ)=1sin2(θ)cos(θ)=cos2(θ)cos(θ)=cos(θ)
In the previous example, you can verify that
sec(θ)tan(θ)sin(θ)=cos(θ)
by graphing the functions Y1=sec(θ)tan(θ)sin(θ) and Y2=cos(θ) to see that they are the same.

Checkpoint 8.69.

Show that  sin2(x)(1+cot2(x))=1.
Answer.
sin2(x)(1+cot2(x))=sin2(x)(1+cos2(x)sin2(x))=sin2(x)+cos2(x)=1
There are two alternate versions of the Pythagorean identity which involve the reciprocal trig functions. These identities are useful when we know the value of tan(θ) or cot(θ) and want to find the other trig values.

Two More Pythagorean Identities.

1+tan2(θ)=sec2(θ)          1+cot2(θ)=csc2(θ)
You can memorize these identities, but they are easy to derive from the original Pythagorean identity, sin2(θ)+cos2(θ)=1. We will prove them in the Homework problems.

Example 8.70.

If  tan(α)=35 and α lies in the third quadrant, find exact values for sec(α) and cos(α).

Solution.

We cannot find the sine and cosine of an angle directly from the value of the tangent; in particular, it is not true that sin(α)=3 and cos(α)=5! (Do you see why?) Instead, we begin with the Pythagorean identity for the tangent.
sec2(α)=1+tan2(α)=1+(35)2=2525+925=3425sec(α)=±3425=±345
Because α is in the third quadrant, both its sine and cosine are negative. Therefore the reciprocals of cosine and sine, namely secant and cosecant, must also be negative, and hence sec(α)=345. The cosine of α is the reciprocal of the secant, so cos(α)=534.

Checkpoint 8.71.

If  cot(ϕ)=32 and ϕ lies in the second quadrant, find exact values for csc(ϕ) and sin(ϕ).
Answer.
csc(ϕ)=112,  sin(ϕ)=211

Activity 8.5. Reciprocal Ratios.

Part 1
The figure shows a unit circle centered at O. The line through AC is tangent to the circle at A. (Recall that a tangent to a circle is perpendicular to the radius that meets it.)
unit circle
  1. What is the radius of the circle?
  2. Find line segments whose lengths are cos(θ) and sin(θ).
  3. Explain why OAC is similar to OBD.
  4. Find a line segment in OAC whose length is tan(θ). Explain why your choice is correct.
  5. Find a line segment in OAC whose length is sec(θ). Explain why your choice is correct.
  6. Find a line segment in OAC whose length is csc(θ). Explain why your choice is correct.
Part 2
Here is another unit circle, with tangent BD.
unit circle
  1. What is the measure of the angles OCD and OCB?
  2. Explain why OCB is similar to OAC.
  3. Find a line segment in OCB whose length is tan(θ). Explain why your choice is correct.
  4. Find a line segment in OCB whose length is sec(θ). Explain why your choice is correct.
  5. Explain why OCB is similar to DCO.
  6. Find a line segment in DCO whose length is csc(θ). Explain why your choice is correct.
Review the following skills you will need for this section.

Algebra Refresher 8.6.

  1. Solve |2x6|=4
  2. Solve |13x|=10
  3. Simplify (x4)2
  4. Simplify (1x)2
  5. For what values of x is |x+2|=x+2 ?
  6. For what values of x is |x3|=x3 ?
  7. Graph the function f(x)=x|x|.
  8. Explain the difference between the graphs of f(x)=(x)2 and g(x)=x2.
Algebra Refresher Answers
  1. x=1, 5
  2. x=3, 113
  3. |x4|
  4. |1x|
  5. x2
  6. x<3
  7. graph
  8. The domain of f is [0,), and the domain of g is (,).

Subsection Section 8.3 Summary

Subsubsection Vocabulary

  • Reciprocal
  • Secant
  • Cosecant
  • Cotangent

Subsubsection Concepts

  1. Three More Functions.
    If θ is an angle in standard position, and P(x,y) is a point on the terminal side, then we define the following functions.
    The  secant:      sec(θ)=rx
    The  cosecant:    csc(θ)=ry
    The  cotangent:   cot(θ)=xy
    angles
  2. Reciprocal Trigonometric Ratios.
    If θ is one of the acute angles in a right triangle,
    sec(θ)=hypotenuseadjacentcsc(θ)=hypotenuseoppositecot(θ)=adjacentopposite
    triangle
  3. Reciprocal Trigonometric Functions.
    The  secant function:      sec(θ)=1cos(θ)
    The  cosecant function:    csc(θ)=1sin(θ)
    The  cotangent function:   cot(θ)=1tan(θ)
  4. We can obtain graphs of the secant, cosecant, and cotangent functions as the reciprocals of the three basic functions.
  5. We can solve equations of the form sec(θ)=k, csc(θ)=k, and cot(θ)=k by taking the reciprocal of both sides.
  6. If we know one of the trigonometric ratios for an angle, we can use identities to find any of the others.
  7. Cotangent Identity.
    cot(θ)=1tan(θ)=cos(θ)sin(θ),    sin(θ)0
  8. Two More Pythagorean Identities.
    1+tan2(θ)=sec2(θ)          1+cot2(θ)=csc2(θ)
  9. We can often simplify trigonometric expressions by first converting all the trig ratios to sines and cosines.

Subsubsection Study Questions

  1. Delbert says that sec(x) is just another way of writing cos1(x), because cos1(x)=1cos(x). Is he correct? Explain your reasoning.
  2. Each of the following functions is related to the sine function in a different way. Explain how.
    cos(x),  csc(x),  and  sin1(x)
  3. Using Study Question #2 as an example, name three functions related to the tangent function, and explain how they are related.
  4. Why do the graphs of y=csc(x) and y=cot(x) have vertical asymptotes at the same x-values?

Subsubsection Skills

  1. Evaluate the reciprocal trig functions for angles in degrees or radians #1–20
  2. Find values or expressions for the six trig ratios #21–28
  3. Evaluate the reciprocal trig functions in applications #29–32
  4. Given one trig ratio, find the others #33–46, 71–80
  5. Evaluate expressions exactly #47–52
  6. Graph the secant, cosecant, and cotangent functions #53–58
  7. Identify graphs of the reciprocal trig functions #59–64
  8. Solve equations in secant, cosecant, and cotangent #65–70
  9. Use identities to simplify or evaluate expressions #81–94

Exercises Homework 8-3

Exercise Group.

For Problems 1–8, evaluate. Round answers to 3 decimal places.

Exercise Group.

For Problems 9–16, evaluate. Give exact values.

Exercise Group.

For Problems 17–18, complete the tables with exact values.
17.
e>
θ 0 π6 π4 π3 π2 2π3 3π4 5π6 π
sec(θ) 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000
csc(θ) 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000
cot(θ) 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000
18.
θ π 7π6 5π4 4π3 3π2 5π3 7π4 11π6 2π
sec(θ) 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000
csc(θ) 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000
cot(θ) 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000

19.

Evaluate. Round answers to three decimal places.
  1. cos(0.2)
  2. (cos(0.2))1
  3. cos1(0.2)
  4. 1cos(0.2)
  5. cos(10.2)
  6. sec(0.2)

20.

Evaluate. Round answers to three decimal places.
  1. tan(3.2)
  2. tan1(3.2)
  3. cot(3.2)
  4. 1tan(3.2)
  5. tan(13.2)
  6. (tan(3.2))1

Exercise Group.

For Problems 21–28, find exact values for the six trigonometric ratios of the angle θ.

29.

The distance that sunlight must travel to pass through a layer of Earth’s atmosphere depends on both the thickness of the atmosphere and the angle of the sun.
sunlight
  1. Write an expression for the distance, d, that sunlight travels through a layer of atmosphere of thickness h.
  2. Find the distance (to the nearest mile) that sunlight travels through a 100-mile layer of atmosphere when the sun is 40 above the horizon.

30.

In railroad design, the degree of curvature of a section of track is the angle subtended by a chord 100 feet long.
railroad track
  1. Use the figure to write an expression for the radius, r, of a curve whose degree of curvature is θ. (Hint: The bisector of the angle θ is perpendicular to the chord.)
  2. Find the radius of a curve whose degree of curvature is 43.

31.

When a plane is tilted by an angle θ from the horizontal, the time required for a ball starting from rest to roll a horizontal distance of l feet on the plane is
t=l8csc(2θ)  seconds
inclined plane
  1. How long, to the nearest 0.01 second, will it take the ball to roll 2 feet horizontally on a plane tilted by 12?
  2. Solve the formula for l in terms of t and θ.

32.

After a heavy rainfall, the depth, D, of the runoff flow at a distance x feet from the watershed down a slope at angle α is given by
D=(kx)0.6(cot(α))0.3  inches
where k is a constant determined by the surface roughness and the intensity of the runoff.
  1. How deep, to the nearest 0.01 inch, is the runoff 100 feet down a slope of 10 if k=0.0006?
  2. Solve the formula for x in terms of D and α.

Exercise Group.

For Problems 33–38, write algebraic expressions for the six trigonometric ratios of the angle θ.

39.

The diagram shows a unit circle. Find six line segments whose lengths are, respectively, sin(t), cos(t), tan(t), sec(t), csc(t), and cot(t).
unit circle

40.

Use the figure in Problem 39 to find each area in terms of the angle t.
  1. OAC
  2. OBD
  3. sector OAC
  4. OFE

Exercise Group.

For Problems 41–46, sketch the reference angle, and find exact values for all six trigonometric functions of the angle.
41.
sec(θ)=2,  θ in Quadrant IV
42.
csc(ϕ)=4,  ϕ in Quadrant II
43.
csc(α)=3,  α in Quadrant I
44.
sec(β)=4,  β in Quadrant IV
45.
cot(γ)=14,  γ in Quadrant III
46.
tan(θ)=6,  θ in Quadrant I

Exercise Group.

For Problems 47–52, evaluate.
48.
12csc(π6)14cot(π6)
51.
[csc(2π3)sec(3π4)]2

53.

Complete the table and sketch a graph of y=sec(x).
x 0 π4 π2 3π4 π 5π4 3π2 7π4 2π
sec(x) 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000
grid

54.

Complete the table and sketch a graph of y=csc(x).
x 0 π4 π2 3π4 π 5π4 3π2 7π4 2π
csc(x) 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000
grid

55.

Use the graph of y=sin(x) to sketch a graph of its reciprocal, y=csc(x).
sine

56.

Use the graph of y=cos(x) to sketch a graph of its reciprocal, y=sec(x).
cosine

57.

Complete the table and sketch a graph of y=cot(x).
x 0 π4 π2 3π4 π 5π4 3π2 7π4 2π
cot(x) 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000
grid

58.

Use the graphs of y=cos(x) and y=sin(x) to sketch a graph of y=cot(x)=cos(x)sin(x).
cos and sin

Exercise Group.

For Problems 59–64,
  1. Graph each function for 0x2π, and write a simpler expression for the function.
  2. Show algebraically that your new expression is equivalent to the original one.
61.
y=sec(x)cot(x)csc(x)

Exercise Group.

For Problems 65–70, find all solutions between 0 and 2π.

Exercise Group.

For Problems 71–76, use identities to find exact values or to write algebraic expressions.
71.
If tan(α)=2 and π2<α<π, find cos(α).
72.
If cot(β)=54 and π<β<3π2, find sin(β).
73.
If sec(x)=a2 and 0<α<π2, find tan(x).
74.
If csc(y)=1b and π2<y<π, find cot(y).
75.
If csc(ϕ)=w and 3π2<α<2π, find cos9.
76.
If sec(θ)=3z and π<α<π2, find sin(θ).

Exercise Group.

For Problems 77–80, find exact values for sec(s), csc(s), and cot(s).

Exercise Group.

For Problems 81–88, write the expression in terms of sine and cosine, and simplify.
87.
sin(x)tan(x)sec(x)

89.

Prove the Pythagorean identity 1+tan2(θ)=sec2(θ). (Hint: Start with the identity cos2(θ)+sin2(θ)=1 and divide both sides of the equation by cos2(θ).)

90.

Prove the Pythagorean identity 1+cot2(θ)=csc2(θ). (Hint: Start with the identity cos2(θ)+sin2(θ)=1 and divide both sides of the equation by sin2(θ).)

91.

Suppose that cot(θ)=5 and θ lies in the third quadrant.
  1. Use the Pythagorean identity to find the value of csc(θ).
  2. Use identities to find the values of the other four trig functions of θ.

92.

Suppose that tan(θ)=2 and θ lies in the second quadrant.
  1. Use the Pythagorean identity to find the value of sec(θ).
  2. Use identities to find the values of the other four trig functions of θ.

93.

Write each of the other five trig functions in terms of sin(t) only.

94.

Write each of the other five trig functions in terms of cos(t) only.

95.

Show that if the angles of a triangle are A, B, and C and the opposite sides are respectively a, b, and c, then
acsc(A)=bcsc(B)=ccsc(C)

96.

The figure shows a unit circle and an angle θ in standard position. Each of the six trigonometric ratios for θ is represented by the length of a line segment in the figure. Find the line segment for each ratio, and explain your choice.
triangle