Unit Circle

unit circle center at (0,0)

The "Unit Circle" is a circle with a radius of ane.

Existence so simple, information technology is a great manner to larn and talk most lengths and angles.

The center is put on a graph where the x axis and y axis cross, so we go this neat arrangement here.

unit circle center at (0,0)

Sine, Cosine and Tangent

Considering the radius is ane, we tin direct measure out sine, cosine and tangent.

unit circle center angle 0

What happens when the angle, θ, is 0°?

cos 0° = i, sin 0° = 0 and tan 0° = 0

unit circle center angle 90

What happens when θ is xc°?

cos xc° = 0, sin 90° = 1 and tan 90° is undefined

Try It Yourself!

Have a try! Move the mouse around to see how different angles (in radians or degrees) affect sine, cosine and tangent

../algebra/images/circle-triangle.js

The "sides" can be positive or negative according to the rules of Cartesian coordinates. This makes the sine, cosine and tangent change betwixt positive and negative values also.

Also endeavor the Interactive Unit Circle.

unit circle center at (0,0)

Pythagoras

Pythagoras' Theorem says that for a right angled triangle, the square of the long side equals the sum of the squares of the other two sides:

x2 + yii = ane2

Merely i2 is merely ane, so:

tentwo + yii = one
equation of the unit circle

Likewise, since ten=cos and y=sin, we get:

(cos(θ))2 + (sin(θ))2 = i
a useful "identity"

Of import Angles: thirty°, 45° and lx°

You should try to recall sin, cos and tan for the angles 30°, 45° and lx° .

Yeah, yes, it is a pain to take to retrieve things, but it will make life easier when you know them, not simply in exams, just other times when yous need to practise quick estimates, etc.

These are the values you should call back!

Angle Cos Sin Tan=Sin/Cos
30° √3 2 one ii 1 √3 = √three 3
45° √two 2 √ii 2 ane
60° 1 two √iii 2 √3

How To Call back?

unit circle 123

To help yous remember, cos goes "3,2,1"

 cos(30°)  = three ii

 cos(45°)  = 2 2

 cos(60°)  = i two   = 1 2

And, sin goes "1,2,3" :

 sin(30°)  = i 2   = ane 2 (because √1 = ane)

 sin(45°)  = 2 2

 sin(60°)  = three 2

Simply 3 Numbers

In fact, knowing three numbers is enough: 1 2  , √2 ii   and √iii 2

Because they work for both cos and sin:

unit circle cos 1/2, root2/2, root3/2 unit circle cos 1/2, root2/2, root3/2

Your hand can help you remember:

unit circle cos 1/2, root2/2, root3/2

For example at that place are 3 fingers above 30°, so cos(xxx°) = 3 ii

What about tan?

Well, tan = sin/cos, and then we can calculate information technology similar this:

tan(30°) = sin(xxx°) cos(thirty°)  = 1/two √3/2 = i √iii = √3 3 *

tan(45°) = sin(45°) cos(45°)  = √two/2 √two/two = one

tan(60°) = sin(60°) cos(60°)  = √3/ii 1/2 = √3

* Note: writing 1 √3 may cost yous marks and then use √three 3 instead (see Rational Denominators to larn more).

Quick Sketch

Some other way to help you remember thirty° and 60° is to brand a quick sketch:

Draw a triangle with side lengths of two triangle 60 60 with sides of 2

Cutting in one-half. Pythagoras says the new side is √3

12 + (√3)2 = 22

1 + three = 4

triangle 30 60 with sides of 1, 2, root3
And then use sohcahtoa for sin, cos or tan triangle 30 60 with sides of 1, 2, root3

Example: sin(30°)

Sine: sohcahtoa

sine is opposite divided by hypotenuse

sin(xxx°) = reverse hypotenuse = 1 2

quadrants (+,+) (-,+) (-,-) and (+,-) going counterclockwise

The Whole Circumvolve

For the whole circle we need values in every quadrant, with the correct plus or minus sign as per Cartesian Coordinates:

Note that cos is get-go and sin is 2d, so it goes (cos, sin):

Unit Circle Degrees

Save equally PDF

Case: What is cos(330°) ?

unit circle 330

Brand a sketch like this, and we can see it is the "long" value: √3 2

And this is the same Unit of measurement Circumvolve in radians.

Unit Circle Radians

Example: What is sin(7π/half-dozen) ?

unit circle 7pi/6

Think "7π/six = π + π/six", then make a sketch.

We tin so encounter it is negative and is the "curt" value: −½

7708, 7709, 7710, 7711, 8903, 8904, 8906, 8907, 8905, 8908

Footnote: where do the values come up from?

We tin use the equation 102 + y2 = ane to find the lengths of x and y (which are equal to cos and sin when the radius is 1):

triangle 45 inside unit circle

45 Degrees

For 45 degrees, x and y are equal, so y=x:

102 + tentwo = i

2x2 = 1

xii = ½

ten = y = √(½)

triangle 30 60 inside unit circle

lx Degrees

Take an equilateral triangle (all sides are equal and all angles are threescore°) and split it downwardly the middle.

The "ten" side is at present ½,

And the "y" side is:

(½)2 + y2 = 1

¼ + yii = one

y2 = i-¼ = ¾

y = √(¾)

xxx Degrees

30° is just threescore° with x and y swapped, and so x = √(¾) and y = ½

And:

i/2 = two/4 = 2 4 = two 2

Too:

3/4 = iii four = 3 2

And here is the result (aforementioned as before):

Bending Cos Sin Tan=Sin/Cos
30° √iii ii 1 ii i √3 = √3 3
45° √2 2 √ii two 1
threescore° 1 2 √iii 2 √3