Trigonometry For Dummies

Make trigonometry as easy as 1-2-3

Believe it or not, trigonometry is easier than it looks! With the right help, you can breeze through your next trig class, test, or exam and be ready for your next math challenge. In Trigonometry For Dummies, you’ll learn to understand the basics of sines, cosines, and tangents, graph functions, solve tough formulas, and even discover how to use trig outside the classroom in some cool and interesting ways.

Ditch the confusing jargon and take a plain-English tour of one of the most useful disciplines in math. In this lifesaving guide, you’ll learn how to:

• Graph trig functions, including sine, cosine, tangent, and cotangent functions
• Understand inverse trig functions and solve trig equations
• Relate triangles to circular functions and get a handle on basic identities

So, whether you’re looking for an easy-to-use study guide, to boost your math grade, or get a refresher on some basic trig concepts after a long absence from studying, Trigonometry For Dummies is your ticket to understanding the mathematical mysteries of the triangle.

Mary Jane Sterling is the author of Algebra I For Dummies, Pre-Calculus Workbook For Dummies, Algebra II For Dummies, and oodles of other Dummies titles. She was a Professor of Mathematics at Bradley University in Peoria, Illinois, for more than 35 years, teaching algebra, business calculus, geometry, and finite mathematics.

Introduction 1

Part 1: Getting Started with Trigonometry 5

Chapter 1: Taking On Trig Technicalities 7

Chapter 2: Cooperating with Cartesian Coordinates 31

Chapter 3: Finding Degrees in Triangles and Planes 51

Chapter 4: Dishing Out the Pi: Radians 63

Chapter 5: Tackling Right Triangles 77

Part 2: Trigonometric Functions 89

Chapter 6: Describing Trig Functions 91

Chapter 7: Relating Triangles to Circular Functions 107

Chapter 8: Taking Trig Functions Global 123

Chapter 9: Applying Yourself to Trig Functions 139

Part 3: Identities 159

Chapter 10: Introducing Basic Identities 161

Chapter 11: Operating on Identities 177

Chapter 12: Proving Identities: The Basics 197

Chapter 13: Sleuthing Out Identity Solutions 213

Part 4: Equations and Applications 231

Chapter 14: Investigating Inverse Trig Functions 233

Chapter 15: Making Inverse Trig Work for You 241

Chapter 16: Solving Trig Equations 253

Chapter 17: Obeying the Laws and Applying Them 277

Part 5: The Graphs of Trig Functions 301

Chapter 18: Graphing Sine and Cosine 303

Chapter 19: Graphing Tangent and Cotangent 319

Chapter 20: Graphing Two More Trig Functions 327

Chapter 21: Topping Off Trig Graphs 339

Part 6: The Part of Tens 353

Chapter 22: Ten Basic Identities Plus Some Bonuses 355

Chapter 23: Ten Not-So-Basic Identities 361

Appendix: Graphs and Function Values 367

Index 373

The New copy of this book will include any supplemental materials advertised. Please check the title of the book to determine if it should include any access cards, study guides, lab manuals, CDs, etc.

The Used, Rental and eBook copies of this book are not guaranteed to include any supplemental materials. Typically, only the book itself is included. This is true even if the title states it includes any access cards, study guides, lab manuals, CDs, etc.