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Browse High School Trigonometry
Stars indicate particularly interesting answers or good places to begin browsing.

Selected answers to common questions:
    DeMoivre's theorem.
    Volume of a tank.

Pilot's Rule of 60 [06/07/2002]
There is a famous piloting rule, called the Rule of 60, which you can use to steer clear of an obstacle. Why does it work? And is it possible to derive an inverse of the rule?

A Point Inside a Square [09/18/2003]

Polar Equations [05/05/2003]
If you have r^2 = 9*cos(theta) and r = 1 + cos(theta), how many points of intersection are there?


Premature Simplification [08/01/2003]
Solve: 2tan x + sin^2 x * sec x = 1 + sec x

Product Sum and Difference Formulae [11/20/1997]
(cos6theta+6cos4theta+15cos2theta+10)/(cos5theta+5cos3theta+10cos theta) = 2 cos theta.

Projectile Dynamics [10/21/2000]
A particle is projected with initial velocity v and angle theta in a parabolic path. How can I show that at time t, when the angle to the horizontal is gamma, tan(gamma) = tan(theta) - (gt/v) sec(theta)?

Proof by First Principles [11/16/2001]
How can I prove by first principles that the derivative of tan(x) is sec^2(x)?

Proof of a Trig Identity [03/13/1998]
Proving that (1 + sinX + cosX)/(1 + sinX - cosX) = (1 + cosX)/sinX.

Proof of DeMoivre's Theorem [05/01/1997]
A typical induction proof: DeMoivre's theorem.

Proof of the Parallelogram Law [08/07/1999]

Proof of Trig Identity [7/24/1996]
Prove (sin 2t + sin t)/(cos 2t + cos t + 1) = tan t is an identity.

Proving a Trigonometric Identity [06/06/1999]
How can I prove the trigonometric identities cos(a+b)*cos(a-b) = cos^2a - sin^2b, and tan(x/2) = (1-cosx)/(sinx)?

Proving a Trigonometry Identity [05/19/2003]
Prove the following identity: cos 3x = 4 cos^3x - 3cosx.

Proving De Moivre's Theorem [12/03/1997]
Prove De Moivres theorem: - (cos(x)+isin(x))^n = cos(nx) + isin(nx) .

Proving Identity for Sum of Cosines [10/17/2003]
How do you prove the identity for the sum of cosines?

Proving Laws of Sines, Cosines [10/01/2003]
How do you prove the laws of sines and cosines?

Proving Sine Identities [05/16/1998]
Can you help me prove the trigonometric identities for sin(A+B), sin(2A), and sin(A/2)?

Proving Trig Identities [11/15/1998]
How do I prove trig identities like sin^6x+cos^6x = 1-3sin^2xcos^2x?

Proving Trig Identities vs. Solving Trig Equations [10/08/2006]
Proving the identity sinx/(1-cosx) - (1+cosx)/sinx = 0 is done a little differently than solving that same equation for x, though the thinking is very similar. What is the key to proving the identity?

Proving Trigonometric Identities [02/12/1999]
Tips on proving trigonometric identities, as well as a good general procedure to use, worked out on cos^4(x) - sin^4(x) = cos(2*x).

Proving Trigonometry Identities [01/07/1997]
Prove these trigonometry identities (tan x+cot x)tan x = sec^2 x and (1+cos x)(1-cos x) = sin^2 x

Pythagorean and Other Triangle Theorems [1/6/1995]
Could you please show me the proof for the Pythagorean Theorem and list the other triangle theorems that are based on it?

The Pythagorean Identity for Cosine [11/11/1995]
If Sin 9 = x , what is the solution and result of Cos9.cos18.cos36?

Pythagorean Identity of Trigonometry [02/16/1998]
Proof of the trigonometry identity sin^2 + cos^2 = 1.

Radian Conversion [07/24/2012]
Used to performing trigonometry in degrees, a student gets thrown for a loop by radians. Doctor Ian clarifies with an example based on an analogy of converting between imperial and metric units of distance.

Radians [03/22/2001]
I have searched everywhere for the history behind radians. Why did they replace degrees?

Radian to Degree Conversions [11/11/2001]
Can you give me a table of radian measures and their reference degree measures for the unit circle?

Radius of Circumscribed Circle [05/11/2001]

Rail Bend in Hot Weather [10/13/2002]

Raised Cosines [01/28/2001]
What are raised cosines, and how do they work?

Ratios, Geometry, Trigonometry [06/10/1999]

Rearranging x=tan()sin() [05/01/2002]
How would I approach rearranging x = tan(y)*sin(y) into y = some function of x?

Reflections in Parabolic Mirrors [05/14/2005]
I know that in a parbola, any ray that starts at the focus and hits the parabola is reflected parallel to the central axis of the parabola. Can you explain or prove why that happens?

Related Rates - Clock Hands [04/05/1999]

Remembering Trig Functions [09/27/2001]
We have to memorize the sine, cosine, tangent, secant, cosecant, and cotangent for 30, 45, and 60 degrees for precalculus class. Do you have any tips on how to remember these?

Replace Sin x with 1/n [12/19/2001]
Solve: (5 + 2sqrt(6))^(sin x) + (5 - 2sqrt(6))^(sin x) = 2sqrt(3).

Right Triangle Kite Problem [01/16/1997]
When flying a kite, 150 ft. makes an an angle of 51 degrees with the ground. Assume the string is straight; how is the kite?

Right Triangle Sides [09/14/1998]
To use SOHCOHTOA, I need help finding which sides are opposite and adjacent.

Roots of a Complex Equation [04/28/1997]
Given that cos t + isin t is the root of z^3 + az + b = 0 in which sin t is not equal to 0, and that a and b are real and not equal to zero, show that a + b^2 = 1.


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