Solved Example > No. SE 4

To find the distance between two places using the given data (involving angle of depression) using trigonometric ratios of angles.

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Explanation:

List of trigonometric identities

In mathematics, trigonometric identities are equalities that involve trigonometric functions and are true for every single value of the occurring variables. Geometrically, these are identities involving certain functions of one or more angles.

These identities are useful whenever expressions involving trigonometric functions need to be simplified. An important application is the integration of non-trigonometric functions: a common technique involves first using the substitution rule with a trigonometric function, and then simplifying the resulting integral with a trigonometric identity.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_trigonometric_identities

Elementary Trigonometric identities

Definitions

Trigonometric functions specify the relationships between side lengths and interior angles of a right triangle. For example, the sine of angle θ is defined as being the length of the opposite side divided by the length of the hypotenuse.

Referring to the diagram at the right, the six trigonometric functions of θ are:

$\sin \theta = \frac {\mathrm{opposite}}{\mathrm{hypotenuse}} = \frac {a}{h}$

$\cos \theta = \frac {\mathrm{adjacent}}{\mathrm{hypotenuse}} = \frac {b}{h}$

$\tan \theta = \frac {\mathrm{opposite}}{\mathrm{adjacent}} = \frac {a}{b}$

$\cot \theta = \frac {\mathrm{adjacent}}{\mathrm{opposite}} = \frac {b}{a}$ (Our solved example in mathguru.com uses this concept).

$\sec \theta = \frac {\mathrm{hypotenuse}}{\mathrm{adjacent}} = \frac {h}{b}$

$\csc \theta = \frac {\mathrm{hypotenuse}}{\mathrm{opposite}} = \frac {h}{a}$

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Proofs_of_trigonometric_identities

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