How do you find the 6 trig. functions of 13π / 4?

1 Answer
Oct 21, 2015

sin((5pi)/4)=sin(pi+pi/4)=-sin(pi/4)=-sqrt(2)/2
cos((5pi)/4)=cos(pi+pi/4)=-cos(pi/4)=-sqrt(2)/2
tan((5pi)/4)=1
cot((5pi)/4)=1
sec((5pi)/4)=-sqrt(2)
csc((5pi)/4) =-sqrt(2)

Explanation:

Let's start with the fact that all trigonometric functions are periodical and 2pi is a common period for them all.
Therefore, the values of all these functions will not change if we subtract 2pi from a given angle of 13pi/4.
The result will be
(13pi)/4 - 2pi = (5pi)/4

To properly address this problem, we would represent an angle (5pi)/4 as a point on a unit circle. Considering (5pi)/4 = pi+pi/4, we see that the point representing this angle is located in the third quadrant on its angle bisector (in degree that would be 180^o + 45^o=225^o.

Next is to recall the definitions of all trigonometric functions in terms of abscissa (X-coordinate) and ordinate (Y-coordinate) of a point on a unit circle that represents the angle.

Here they are:
sin(phi) is an ordinate of such a point (Y-coordinate)
cos(phi) is an abscissa (X-coordinate)
tan(phi) = sin(phi)/cos(phi), cot(phi) = cos(phi)/sin(phi)
sec(phi) = 1/cos(phi), csc(phi) = 1/sin(phi).

From these definitions and geometrical considerations of what are the abscissa and ordinate of a point at angle (5pi)/4 on a unit circle, we conclude:
sin((5pi)/4)=sin(pi+pi/4)=-sin(pi/4)=-sqrt(2)/2
cos((5pi)/4)=cos(pi+pi/4)=-cos(pi/4)=-sqrt(2)/2
tan((5pi)/4)=1
cot((5pi)/4)=1
sec((5pi)/4)=-sqrt(2)
csc((5pi)/4) =-sqrt(2)