If csc theta=4/3, what is the sin, cos, tan, sec, and cot?

2 Answers
Mar 27, 2018

See below.

Explanation:

Instead of using formulas, it'd be easier to solve it geometrically, with a right triangle.

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Since csc theta = 1/sintheta = "hypotenuse"/"opposite"=c/a = 4/3, this means that a and c are multiples of 3 and 4, respectively.

In other words, we have c=4k and a=3k, for a real number k.
By the Pythagorean theorem, b = sqrt(c^2-a^2) = sqrt(16k^2-9k^2) = sqrt(7)*k.

Finally, for trigonometric functions :

sin theta = "opposite"/"hypotenuse" = a/c = 3/4
cos theta = "adjacent"/"hypotenuse" = b/c = sqrt7/4

tan theta = "opposite"/"adjacent" = a/b = 3/sqrt7
cot theta = 1/tan theta = b/a = sqrt7/3

sec theta = "hypotenuse"/"adjacent" = c/b = 4/sqrt7.

Apr 2, 2018

As below.

Explanation:

csc theta = 4/3

![https://hononegah.learning.powerschool.com/hhearn/2014-2015honorspre-calculus/cms_page/view/16304893](useruploads.socratic.org)

sin theta = 1/csc theta = 1 / (4/3) = 3/4

cos^2 theta = 1 - sin^2 theta = 1 - 9 / 16 = 7 / 16

cos theta = +- sqrt7 / 4

sec theta = 1 / cos theta = +- 4 / sqrt7

tan theta = sin theta / cos theta = +- (3/4) / (sqrt7 / 4) = +-3 / sqrt7

cot theta = 1 / tan theta = +- sqrt7 / 3