← Geometry & Trigonometry
Mathematics · Topic Cheatsheet

Geometry & Trigonometry

21 key results accumulated across 2 chapters.

SOH–CAH–TOA
Ch 1
sin⁡θ=opphyp,    cos⁡θ=adjhyp,    tan⁡θ=oppadj\sin\theta = \tfrac{\text{opp}}{\text{hyp}},\;\; \cos\theta = \tfrac{\text{adj}}{\text{hyp}},\;\; \tan\theta = \tfrac{\text{opp}}{\text{adj}}
Pythagoras
Ch 1
a2+b2=c2a^2 + b^2 = c^2
Sine rule
Ch 1
asin⁡A=bsin⁡B=csin⁡C\frac{a}{\sin A} = \frac{b}{\sin B} = \frac{c}{\sin C}
Cosine rule
Ch 1
c2=a2+b2−2abcos⁡Cc^2 = a^2 + b^2 - 2ab\cos C
Triangle area
Ch 1
Area=12absin⁡C\text{Area} = \tfrac{1}{2}ab\sin C
SOH-CAH-TOA
Ch 1
sin⁡=oh,cos⁡=ah,tan⁡=oa\sin=\tfrac{o}{h},\cos=\tfrac{a}{h},\tan=\tfrac{o}{a}
Sine / cosine rule
Ch 1
asin⁡A=bsin⁡B,    a2=b2+c2−2bccos⁡A\tfrac{a}{\sin A}=\tfrac{b}{\sin B},\;\; a^2=b^2+c^2-2bc\cos A
Area & arc/sector
Ch 1
Area=12absin⁡C,    s=rθ,  A=12r2θ\text{Area}=\tfrac12 ab\sin C,\;\; s=r\theta,\; A=\tfrac12 r^2\theta
Common trap
Ch 1
Arc/sector formulas need θ in RADIANS; sine rule has an ambiguous (two-angle) case.
Pythagorean identity
Ch 2
sin⁡2θ+cos⁡2θ=1\sin^2\theta + \cos^2\theta = 1
Ratio identity
Ch 2
tan⁡θ=sin⁡θcos⁡θ\tan\theta = \frac{\sin\theta}{\cos\theta}
Double angle
Ch 2
sin⁡2θ=2sin⁡θcos⁡θ,cos⁡2θ=cos⁡2θ−sin⁡2θ\sin 2\theta = 2\sin\theta\cos\theta,\quad \cos 2\theta = \cos^2\theta - \sin^2\theta
General sinusoid
Ch 2
y=asin⁡(b(x+c))+dy = a\sin(b(x+c)) + d
amplitude ∣a∣|a|, period 360°/b360°/b, shift cc, midline dd.
Period of tan
Ch 2
tan⁡x\tan x repeats every 180°180° (others every 360°360°).
Solving sin x = k
Ch 2
Solutions xx and 180°−x180° - x, plus 360°360° multiples.
Solving cos x = k
Ch 2
Solutions xx and 360°−x360° - x (i.e. ±x\pm x).
Solving tan x = k
Ch 2
One solution then add 180°180° repeatedly.
Pythagorean
Ch 2
sin⁡2θ+cos⁡2θ=1\sin^2\theta + \cos^2\theta = 1
Double angle
Ch 2
sin⁡2θ=2sin⁡θcos⁡θ,  cos⁡2θ=1−2sin⁡2θ\sin2\theta = 2\sin\theta\cos\theta,\;\cos2\theta = 1-2\sin^2\theta
y = a sin(b(x−c))+d
Ch 2
amp |a|, period 2π/b, horizontal shift c, vertical shift d.
Common trap
Ch 2
Solving trig equations: give ALL solutions in the stated interval (use the period).