Trigonometric Identities and Exact Values
Exact trigonometric values for key angles are your best mates in maths – memorising them saves loads of time in exams. For 30°, 45°, and 60°, you need to know that sin 30° = 1/2, cos 30° = √3/2, and tan 30° = 1/√3. These values come from special right triangles, so they're always exact rather than decimal approximations.
The Pythagorean identity sin²x + cos²x = 1 is absolutely crucial and appears in nearly every trigonometry question. This fundamental relationship helps you find one trig function when you know another. Remember that tan x = sin x/cos x, which gives you another powerful way to convert between functions.
Proving identities might seem tricky at first, but there's a clear method. Start with the more complicated side of the equation and use basic identities to transform it step by step. For example, to prove 1 - cos x = sin x tan x, you'd substitute tan x = sin x/cos x and manipulate algebraically until both sides match.
Quick Tip: When solving equations like 2 sin x = cos x, rearrange to get tan x = 1/2, then use your calculator to find x = 26.6° and x = 206.6° (remembering tan has a period of 180°).