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Mathematics
Quarter 4 – Module 2
Trigonometric Ratios of Special Angles

JIG M. DECENA, Writer

Head Teacher III, Urbiztondo Integrated School
 What I Need to Know

This module focuses on the two special right angles, namely: 30°-60°-90°
triangle and 45°-45°-90° triangle (isosceles right triangle). Each of the two special
triangles has special conditions used in solving the length of an unknown side. The
acute angles 30°, 45°, and 60° are the commonly used angle measure in problems,
hence they referred to as special angles. As you go over this material, you will be
able to find the value of the six trigonometric ratios applying the conditions of
special right triangles.

The most essential learning competency aligned in this module is:

1. finds trigonometric ratios of special angles. (M9GE–IVb–c–1)
Primarily, the scope of this module is to develop your skill in finding the
trigonometric ratios of special acute angles and evaluate trigonometric
expressions using these values. As you study this module, you are expected to:
1. find the length of an unknown side of a 30°-60°-90° triangle and
a 45°-45°-90° triangle;
2. apply the concepts of special triangles to find the value of the
trigonometric ratios of special angles; and
3. evaluate trigonometric expressions using the trigonometric ratios of
special angles.

What I Know

Let us determine how much you already know about trigonometric ratios of
special triangles. Choose the letter that you think that best answers the question.
Take note of the items that you were not able to answer correctly as you go through
this module.

1. The exact value of sin 30° is ________.

A. ½ B. 0 C. 1 D. 2

2. If the hypotenuse of a 30°-60°-90° triangle is 20, approximately how long is the

shorter leg?
A. 5 B. 10 C. 15 D. 20

3. If the shorter leg of a 30°-60°-90° triangle is 7, approximately how long is the

hypotenuse?
A. 12 B. 13 C. 14 D. 15
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4. What is the value of x in the given figure? 30°

A. 4 C. 4√2
x
B. 4√3 D. 8

60°
5. The longest side of a right triangle is called ________.
A. altitude C. cathetus 4

B. base D. hypotenuse
45°

6. Find the value of a in the given figure. 4√2

a
A. 2 C. 6
B. 4 D. 8 45°

7. In the given figure, find the value of x.

45°
A. 3 C. 7
y
B. 5 D. 9 x

8. What is the value of y from the same figure used in item no. 7? 45°
A. 7 C. 14
7
B. 7√2 D. 14√2

9. In a 45°-45°-90° triangle with one leg measures 6 cm, what is the measure of
the other leg?
A. 3 B. 4 C. 5 D. 6

10. In a 30°-60°-90° triangle, the measure of the hypotenuse is 10, what is the
measure of the longer leg?
A. 5 B. 5√3 C. 10 D. 10√3

Evaluate:
11. sin 30° – cos 60°
A. ½ B. 0 C. 1 D. 2

12. sin 30° + cos 60°

A. ½ B. 0 C. 1 D. 2

13. (sin 45°)2

A. ½ B. 0 C. 1 D. 2

14. (sin 45°)(sin 45°)

A. ½ B. 0 C. 1 D. 2

15. 2 (sin 30°) + tan 45°

A. ½ B. 0 C. 1 D. 2

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 Lesson
Trigonometric Ratios of
1 Special Angles

WHAT’S IN

As mentioned in the introductory part of this module, there are two types of
special triangles. Let us do the following activity to investigate their special
conditions.

Activity 1. Let’s Investigate!

Below are the figures of a 30°-60°-90° triangle and a 45°-45°-90° triangle with
their corresponding side lengths. Examine it carefully and answer the questions
that follow.

30°

45°

5√3 10
7 7√2

60° 45°

5 7
30°-60°-90° Triangle 45°-45°-90° Triangle

Process Questions:
1. What did you notice about the lengths of the sides of each triangle above?
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________

2. What can you say about the relationships of the sides and angles of each
triangle?
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________

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 What’s New

To evaluate the trigonometric ratios of special acute angles (30°, 45° and
60°), geometric methods will be used.

Key Concepts

In Geometry, sides of special triangles are as follows:

30°
45°

hypotenuse longer leg hypotenuse

leg (leg times √2)
(opposite the 60° (2 times the shorter leg)
angle and its length is
shorter leg times √3)

45° 60°

leg shorter leg

(opposite the 30° angle)

45°-45°-90° Triangle 30°-60°-90° Triangle

Example 1. A right triangle whose one angle is 60 degrees has the longer side as
8√3 cm. Find the length of the shorter leg and the hypotenuse. (The 30°-60°-90°
triangle has side lengths in the ratio 1: √3:2.)

Solution:
Solving for b:
30° From the ratio x : x√3 : 2x, the longer side is 8√3.
x√3 = 8√3
(x√3)2 = (8√3)2
c x2(3) = 64 ∙ 3
8√3
3x2 = 192
3𝑥 2 192
=
3 3
x2 = 64
60°
√𝑥 2 = √64
b Therefore, the length of the
x = 8 cm
shorter side is 8 cm.

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Solving for c.
The shorter side is 8 cm.
hypotenuse (c) = 2x Therefore, the length of the
hypotenuse (c) = 2(8 cm) = 16 cm hypotenuse is 16 cm.

Example 2. Find the value of f and g in the figure below.

The shorter leg measures 5.
30°
Solution:
Solving for f :
g longer leg = shorter leg times √3
f longer leg = x √3 = 5√𝟑

Solving for g:
hypotenuse = 2 times the shorter leg
60°
hypotenuse = 2x = 2(5) = 10
5

Example 3. Find m and n using the figure below. (The 45°-45°-90° triangle has side
lengths in the ratio 1:1: √2.)

Solution:
45° Solving for m.
Since the legs of a 45°-45°-90° triangle are equal,
n
then m = 9.
m
Solving for n.
45°
hypotenuse = leg√2 = 9√𝟐

Example 4. Find the measure of each leg in the figure below.

Solution:
45° Solving for p.
20
hypotenuse = leg√2
20 = x√2
20 𝑥√2
=
√2 √2
45°
20
=x
p √2
20 √2
x= ∙
√2 √2
20√2
x= = 10√𝟐
√4

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 What Is It

One of the greatest uses of knowing the features of special right triangle is
that it provides an alternative calculation in finding missing side lengths of a right
triangle. The values of the six trigonometric ratios of special angles are derived
using the concepts of special triangles and as summarized below:

angle θ
30° 45° 60°
ratio
1 √2 √3
sin θ
2 2 2
√3 √2 1
cos θ
2 2 2

tan θ √3 1 √3
3
2√3
csc θ 2 √2
3
2√3
sec θ √2 2
3

cot θ 1 √3
√3
3

Use the table of values above, let us try the given examples.

Example 5. Determine the exact value of the expression cos 60° + tan 45°.
Solution:
1 𝟑
cos 60° + tan 45° = +1 =
2 𝟐

Example 6. Determine the exact value of cos 30° – sin 60°.

Solution:
√3 √3
cos 30° – sin 60° = – = 0
2 2

Activity 2. It’s Your Turn!

Evaluate.
tan 45°
1. sin 45° + cos 45° 4. tan 30° + tan 60°
2. sin 60° tan 30°
3. sin 30° cos 60° + cos 30° sin 60° 5. sin2 60° + cos2 60°
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 What’s More

You have just learned the trigonometric ratios of special angles. Now, let us
use the knowledge you have acquired to do the following activity.

Activity 3. Complete Me!

Direction: Use the choices in the box to complete the equation below.

1 sin 45° √3
52 cot 60°

tan 45° - √3 5√3 2

sin 30° tan 30°

1. (sin 60°)2 + (cos 60°)2 = _______ 6. cot 30° – 3 csc 60° = _______
√2
2. cot 45° (_______) = 7. 3 tan 30° + 6 sec 30° = _______
2

3. sec 30° – tan 30° sin 30° = _______ 8. 2 sin 30° + tan 45° = _______

4. _______ + sec 30° = √3 9. (_______)(cot 30°)(csc 60°) = 1

5. csc 30° + _______ = 3 10. (tan 60°)(_______) = 1

What I Have Learned

Good job! You have reached this part of the module. To ensure your full
understanding on the lesson, answer the questions that follow.

1. Given the length of the shorter leg of a 30°-60°-90° triangle, how can you
determine the lengths of the remaining sides?
2. If one leg is given in a 45°-45°-90° triangle, how will you look for the measure of
the hypotenuse?
3. The two special right triangles are _____________ and _____________.
4. Trigonometric ratios of special angles are obtained by _______________________.

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 What I Can Do

You have already learned the values of trigonometric ratios of special angles
based on the properties of special triangles. In this section, let us apply your
understanding of the lesson to the activity that follows.

Activity 4. Think Deeper!

A. Using the given figure below, find the following:
A 1. AM
2. AT
3. MH
5 4. HT
5. Perimeter of ∆MAT
30° 45°
M T 6. Area of ∆MAT
H

B. Modified True or False. Write T if the equation is correct and F if otherwise. If

the equation is false, write the correct equation.
1. sin 30° + cos 60° = 1 3. cot 45° + sec 60° = 3

2. tan 45° + cot 45° = 2 4. sec 60° + tan 45° = 4

Assessment

Let us determine how much you have learned from this module. Read and
understand each item, then choose the letter of your answer and write it on your
answer sheet.
1. Which of the following equations is correct?
A. sin 30° + cos 60° = 1 C. cot 60° + sec 30° = √2
1
B. sec 60° + tan 45° = 4 D. cos2 45° + sin2 30° = 2
B
2. In triangle ABC, what is the length of side AB?
A. 3 C. 3√2 3
B. 3√3 D. 6
45°
A C
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3. tan 45° + sec 60° = _______.
A. 1 B. 2 C. 3 D. 4

4. The exact value of sin 45° is _______.

√2 1
A. 2
B. 2
C. 1 D. 2

5. Find the exact value of (cos 30°)(sec 30°).

√3 √2 √3
A. B. C. D. 1
3 2 2

6. Evaluate 4 sec 45° + 6 cos 45°.

A. 7√2 B. 7 C. 6 D. 5

7. In a 30°-60°-90° triangle, the hypotenuse is _______ as much as the shorter leg.

A. four times B. thrice C. twice D. not related

For items no. 8-11, use the figure at the right.

8. Find a.
A. 4 C. 4√3
B. 4√2 D. 8 8
c
a
9. Find c.
A. 8 C. 8√3 30° 60°
B. 8√2 D. 10 b d

10. Find b.
A. 10 B. 11 C. 12 D. 13

11. Find d.
A. 2 B. 3 C. 4 D. 5

For items no. 12-15, use the figure below.

12. Find e.
A. 5 C. 5√3
B. 5√2 D. 10
h 10
e
13. Find f.
A. 5 C. 5√3
60° 45°
B. 5√2 D. 10
g f
14. Find h.
10√6 5√2 5√3 10
A. B. C. D.
3 3 3 3

15. Find g.
5√6 5√2 5√3 5
A. B. C. D.
3 3 3 3

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 Additional Activities

Enrich your knowledge and skill of the lesson learned by doing the additional
activity below.

PICK’S LAW

The rule called Pick’s Law can be used to find the area of irregular polygons.
To compute for the area, the polygon or a scale drawing of it must be drawn on a
dot paper, then apply the Pick’s Law formula given below.

1
Area = (number of dots on the polygon) – 1 + (number of dots inside)
2
1
Area = (4) – 1 + (0)
2

Area = 1
Therefore, the area of a square on the right is 1 square unit.

Direction: Find the area of each triangle below using Pick’s Law.

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https://www.dummies.com/education/math/geometry/45-45-90-triangle
https://www.storyofmathematics.com/30-60-90-triangle
Quezon City. Rex Bookstore, Inc.
Oronce, Orlando and Mendoza, Marilyn (2007). E-math III Geometry First Edition.
Education.
Jose-Dilao, Soledad et. al (2009). Geometry III Revised Edition. Department of
Department of Education.
Bryant, Merden L. et. al. Mathematics 9 Learner’s Material First Edition (2014),
References
What I Know
(Pretest) 1. A 4. B 7. C 10. B 13. A
2. B 5. D 8. B 11. B 14. A
3. C 6. B 9. D 12. C 15. D
What’s In
(Activity 1) 1. Answer may vary, depends upon the idea of the learner.
2. In 30°-60°-90° triangle, the length of the hypotenuse is twice the length
of the shorter leg and the length of the longer leg is √3 times the length
√2
of the shorter leg.” While in 45°-45°-90° triangle, each leg is 2
times the
hypotenuse, and the hypotenuse is √2 times each leg.
What Is It
1 √3
(Activity 2) 1. √2 2. 3. 1 4. 5. 1
2 4
What’s More
√3
(Activity 3) 1. 1 2. sin 45° 3. 4. cot 60° 5. tan 45°
2
6. -√3 7. 5√3 8. 2 9. sin 30° 10. tan 30°
What I Have Learned
(Generalization) 1-2. Answer may vary, depends upon the idea of the learner.
3. The two special right triangles are 30°-60°-90° triangle and 45°-45°-90°
triangle.
4. Trigonometric ratios of special angles are obtained by using the
features of special right triangles.
What I Can Do
(Activity 4) A.1. 10 4. 5 B. 1. T 3. T
2. 5√2 5. 15 + 5(√2 + √3)units 2. T
3. 5√3 6. 34. 15 square units 4. F (sec60° + tan45°) = 3
Assessment
(Posttest) 1. A 4. A 7. C 10. C 13. B
2. C 5. D 8. C 11. C 14. A
3. C 6. A 9. C 12. B 15. A
Answer Key