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
3:17 minutes
Problem 72
Textbook Question
Textbook QuestionIn Exercises 61–86, use reference angles to find the exact value of each expression. Do not use a calculator. tan 9𝜋 2
Verified Solution
This video solution was recommended by our tutors as helpful for the problem above
Video duration:
3mPlay a video:
Was this helpful?
Key Concepts
Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.
Reference Angles
A reference angle is the acute angle formed by the terminal side of an angle in standard position 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 360 degrees or less than 0 degrees, the reference angle can be found by subtracting or adding full rotations (360 degrees or 2π radians) until the angle falls within the first rotation.
Recommended video:
5:31
Reference Angles on the Unit Circle
Tangent Function
The tangent function, denoted as tan(θ), is defined as the ratio of the opposite side to the adjacent side in a right triangle. In the unit circle, it can also be expressed as the ratio of the sine and cosine functions: tan(θ) = sin(θ)/cos(θ). Understanding the behavior of the tangent function in different quadrants is essential for evaluating its values based on the reference angle.
Recommended video:
5:43
Introduction to Tangent Graph
Quadrants and Angle Measurement
The coordinate plane is divided into four quadrants, each corresponding to specific ranges of angle measurements. Angles are measured in radians, with 0 radians at the positive x-axis, π/2 radians at the positive y-axis, π radians at the negative x-axis, and 3π/2 radians at the negative y-axis. Knowing the quadrant in which an angle lies helps determine the sign of the trigonometric functions, which is crucial for finding the exact value of expressions like tan(9π/2).
Recommended video:
6:36
Quadratic Formula
Watch next
Master Reference Angles on the Unit Circle with a bite sized video explanation from Callie Rethman
Start learningRelated Videos
Related Practice