Consider the equation . If is an angle in Quadrant II, what is the value of ?
Table of contents
- 0. Review of College Algebra4h 43m
- 1. Measuring Angles40m
- 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
- OLD 1. Angles and the Trigonometric Functions Coming soon
- OLD 2. Trigonometric Functions graphs, Inverse Trigonometric Functions Coming soon
- OLD 3. Trigonometric Identities and Equations Coming soon
- OLD 4. Laws of Sines, Cosines and Vectors Coming soon
- OLD 5. Complex Numbers, Polar Coordinates and Parametric Equations Coming soon
- NEW (not used) 7. Laws of Sines, Cosines and Vectors Coming soon
- NEW (not used) 8. Vectors Coming soon
- NEW(not used) 9. Polar equations Coming soon
- NEW (not used) 11. Graphing Complex Numbers Coming soon
3. Unit Circle
Trigonometric Functions on the Unit Circle
Multiple Choice
On the unit circle, for , when is undefined?
A
When
B
When
C
When
D
When
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Verified step by step guidance1
Recall that on the unit circle, the tangent of an angle \( \theta \) is defined as the ratio of the sine to the cosine:
\[ \tan(\theta) = \frac{\sin(\theta)}{\cos(\theta)} \]
Understand that tangent is undefined when the denominator of this ratio, \( \cos(\theta) \), is zero because division by zero is undefined.
Identify the values of \( \theta \) between 0 and \( \pi \) where \( \cos(\theta) = 0 \). On the unit circle, \( \cos(\theta) = 0 \) at \( \theta = \frac{\pi}{2} \).
Note that at \( \theta = \pi \), \( \cos(\pi) = -1 \), which is not zero, so tangent is defined there.
Conclude that within the interval \( 0 < \theta < \pi \), \( \tan(\theta) \) is undefined only when \( \theta = \frac{\pi}{2} \).
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