Quadrant II and III in Trigonometry

Oct 13, 2025 by wbrum.org 66 views

Introduction

Trigonometry is a branch of mathematics that deals with the relationships between the sides and angles of triangles. In this article, we will use trigonometric identities to find the value of $\cos (\alpha+\beta)$ given the values of $\sin \alpha$ and $\tan \beta$ . We will also discuss the importance of quadrant II and III in trigonometry.

Quadrant II and III in Trigonometry

In trigonometry, the unit circle is divided into four quadrants: I, II, III, and IV. Each quadrant has its own set of rules and properties. Quadrant II is the upper left quadrant, where the x-coordinate is negative and the y-coordinate is positive. Quadrant III is the lower left quadrant, where both the x-coordinate and the y-coordinate are negative.

Trigonometric Identities

There are several trigonometric identities that we can use to find the value of $\cos (\alpha+\beta)$ . One of the most commonly used identities is the cosine of the sum of two angles:

\cos (\alpha+\beta) = \cos \alpha \cos \beta - \sin \alpha \sin \beta

We can also use the Pythagorean identity to find the value of $\cos \alpha$ and $\cos \beta$ :

\sin^2 \alpha + \cos^2 \alpha = 1

\sin^2 \beta + \cos^2 \beta = 1

Finding $\cos \alpha$ and $\cos \beta$

We are given that $\sin \alpha = \frac{15}{17}$ and $\tan \beta = \frac{12}{5}$ . We can use the Pythagorean identity to find the value of $\cos \alpha$ and $\cos \beta$ .

First, let's find the value of $\cos \alpha$ . We know that $\sin^2 \alpha + \cos^2 \alpha = 1$ , so we can substitute the value of $\sin \alpha$ and solve for $\cos \alpha$ :

\left(\frac{15}{17}\right)^2 + \cos^2 \alpha = 1

\cos^2 \alpha = 1 - \left(\frac{15}{17}\right)^2

\cos^2 \alpha = \frac{289-225}{289}

\cos^2 \alpha = \frac{64}{289}

\cos \alpha = \pm \sqrt{\frac{64}{289}}

Since $\alpha$ is in quadrant II, the value of $\cos \alpha$ is negative. Therefore, we have:

\cos \alpha = -\sqrt{\frac{64}{289}}

\cos \alpha = -\frac{8}{17}

Next, let's find the value of $\cos \beta$ . We know that $\tan \beta = \frac{12}{5}$ , so we can use the Pythagorean identity to find the value of $\cos \beta$ :

\sin^2 \beta + \cos^2 \beta = 1

\left(\frac{12}{5}\right)^2 + \cos^2 \beta = 1

\cos^2 \beta = 1 - \left(\frac{12}{5}\right)^2

\cos^2 \beta = \frac{25-144}{25}

\cos^2 \beta = \frac{-119}{25}

\cos \beta = \pm \sqrt{\frac{-119}{25}}

Since $\beta$ is in quadrant III, the value of $\cos \beta$ is negative. Therefore, we have:

\cos \beta = -\sqrt{\frac{-119}{25}}

\cos \beta = -\frac{\sqrt{119}}{5}

Finding $\cos (\alpha+\beta)$

Now that we have found the values of $\cos \alpha$ and $\cos \beta$ , we can use the cosine of the sum of two angles identity to find the value of $\cos (\alpha+\beta)$ :

\cos (\alpha+\beta) = \cos \alpha \cos \beta - \sin \alpha \sin \beta

\cos (\alpha+\beta) = \left(-\frac{8}{17}\right)\left(-\frac{\sqrt{119}}{5}\right) - \left(\frac{15}{17}\right)\left(\frac{12}{5}\right)

\cos (\alpha+\beta) = \frac{8\sqrt{119}}{85} - \frac{180}{85}

\cos (\alpha+\beta) = \frac{8\sqrt{119}-180}{85}

Conclusion

In this article, we used trigonometric identities to find the value of $\cos (\alpha+\beta)$ given the values of $\sin \alpha$ and $\tan \beta$ . We also discussed the importance of quadrant II and III in trigonometry. The value of $\cos (\alpha+\beta)$ is $\frac{8\sqrt{119}-180}{85}$ .

Introduction

In our previous article, we used trigonometric identities to find the value of $\cos (\alpha+\beta)$ given the values of $\sin \alpha$ and $\tan \beta$ . We also discussed the importance of quadrant II and III in trigonometry. In this article, we will answer some frequently asked questions about trigonometric identities and quadrant II and III.

Q: What is the difference between quadrant II and III in trigonometry?

A: In trigonometry, the unit circle is divided into four quadrants: I, II, III, and IV. Quadrant II is the upper left quadrant, where the x-coordinate is negative and the y-coordinate is positive. Quadrant III is the lower left quadrant, where both the x-coordinate and the y-coordinate are negative.

Q: How do I determine which quadrant an angle is in?

A: To determine which quadrant an angle is in, you can use the following rules:

If the angle is in quadrant I, the x-coordinate is positive and the y-coordinate is positive.
If the angle is in quadrant II, the x-coordinate is negative and the y-coordinate is positive.
If the angle is in quadrant III, the x-coordinate is negative and the y-coordinate is negative.
If the angle is in quadrant IV, the x-coordinate is positive and the y-coordinate is negative.

Q: What is the cosine of the sum of two angles?

A: The cosine of the sum of two angles is given by the following identity:

\cos (\alpha+\beta) = \cos \alpha \cos \beta - \sin \alpha \sin \beta

Q: How do I use the Pythagorean identity to find the value of $\cos \alpha$ and $\cos \beta$ ?

A: To use the Pythagorean identity to find the value of $\cos \alpha$ and $\cos \beta$ , you can follow these steps:

Write down the Pythagorean identity for the given angle: $\sin^2 \alpha + \cos^2 \alpha = 1$ or $\sin^2 \beta + \cos^2 \beta = 1$ .
Substitute the given value of $\sin \alpha$ or $\sin \beta$ into the Pythagorean identity.
Solve for $\cos \alpha$ or $\cos \beta$ .

Q: What is the value of $\cos (\alpha+\beta)$ given the values of $\sin \alpha$ and $\tan \beta$ ?

A: To find the value of $\cos (\alpha+\beta)$ given the values of $\sin \alpha$ and $\tan \beta$ , you can use the following steps:

Find the value of $\cos \alpha$ using the Pythagorean identity.
Find the value of $\cos \beta$ using the Pythagorean identity.
Use the cosine of the sum of two angles identity to find the value of $\cos (\alpha+\beta)$ .

Q: What is the importance of quadrant II and III in trigonometry?

A: Quadrant II and III are important in trigonometry because they help us to determine the signs of the trigonometric functions. In quadrant II, the x-coordinate is negative and the y-coordinate is positive, so the sine function is positive and the cosine function is negative. In quadrant III, both the x-coordinate and the y-coordinate are negative, so the sine function is negative and the cosine function is negative.

Q: How do I use trigonometric identities to solve problems in trigonometry?

A: To use trigonometric identities to solve problems in trigonometry, you can follow these steps:

Identify the given information and the unknown quantity.
Choose the appropriate trigonometric identity to use.
Substitute the given values into the identity.
Solve for the unknown quantity.

Conclusion

In this article, we answered some frequently asked questions about trigonometric identities and quadrant II and III. We also discussed the importance of quadrant II and III in trigonometry and how to use trigonometric identities to solve problems in trigonometry.