Table of contents
- 0. Review of College Algebra4h 43m
- 1. Measuring Angles39m
- 2. Trigonometric Functions on Right Triangles2h 5m
- 3. Unit Circle1h 19m
- 4. Graphing Trigonometric Functions1h 19m
- 5. Inverse Trigonometric Functions and Basic Trigonometric Equations1h 41m
- 6. Trigonometric Identities and More Equations2h 34m
- 7. Non-Right Triangles1h 38m
- 8. Vectors2h 25m
- 9. Polar Equations2h 5m
- 10. Parametric Equations1h 6m
- 11. Graphing Complex Numbers1h 7m
3. Unit Circle
Reference Angles
2:53 minutes
Problem 42b
Textbook Question
Textbook QuestionFind the reference angle for each angle.
5π/4
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Key Concepts
Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.
Reference Angle
The reference angle is the acute angle formed by the terminal side of a given angle and the x-axis. It is always measured as a positive angle and is used to simplify the calculation of trigonometric functions. For angles greater than 180 degrees, the reference angle is found by subtracting the angle from 180 degrees or 360 degrees, depending on the quadrant in which the angle lies.
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Quadrants of the Unit Circle
The unit circle is divided into four quadrants, each representing a range of angles. The first quadrant (0 to π/2) contains angles where both sine and cosine are positive. The second quadrant (π/2 to π) has positive sine and negative cosine, the third quadrant (π to 3π/2) has both sine and cosine negative, and the fourth quadrant (3π/2 to 2π) has positive cosine and negative sine. Understanding these quadrants is essential for determining the reference angle.
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Angle Measurement in Radians
Angles can be measured in degrees or radians, with radians being the standard unit in trigonometry. One full rotation (360 degrees) is equivalent to 2π radians. To convert degrees to radians, multiply by π/180. When working with angles like 5π/4, recognizing that this angle is in radians helps in accurately determining its position on the unit circle and subsequently finding the reference angle.
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