Basic Math for Physics

Trigonometry

Trigonometry is used to find heights and distances, and it relies on

trigonometric ratios (T-ratios) within triangles.

Right Angle Triangles

In a right-angled triangle, the side opposite to the angle θθ is the

perpendicular, the adjacent side is the base, and the longest side is the
hypotenuse. If the reference angle changes, the perpendicular and base
will change accordingly.

T-Ratios

There are six T-ratios: sine (sin⁡sin), cosine (cos⁡cos), tangent (tan⁡tan),
cosecant (csc⁡csc), secant (sec⁡sec), and cotangent (cot⁡cot).

Mnemonic: Papa Badam Piyoge, Haan Beta.

 sin⁡θ=PerpendicularHypotenusesinθ=HypotenusePerpendicular

 cos⁡θ=BaseHypotenusecosθ=HypotenuseBase

 tan⁡θ=PerpendicularBasetanθ=BasePerpendicular

 csc⁡θ=HypotenusePerpendicular=1sin⁡θcscθ=PerpendicularHypotenu
se=sinθ1

 sec⁡θ=HypotenuseBase=1cos⁡θsecθ=BaseHypotenuse=cosθ1

 cot⁡θ=BasePerpendicular=1tan⁡θcotθ=PerpendicularBase=tanθ1

Relationships:

 tan⁡θ=sin⁡θcos⁡θtanθ=cosθsinθ

Angle Sum Property

In a triangle, the sum of all angles is 180 degrees. If one angle is θθ and
another is 90 degrees, the third angle is 90−θ90−θ.

 sin⁡(90−θ)=cos⁡θsin(90−θ)=cosθ

 cos⁡(90−θ)=sin⁡θcos(90−θ)=sinθ

 tan⁡(90−θ)=cot⁡θtan(90−θ)=cotθ

 cot⁡(90−θ)=tan⁡θcot(90−θ)=tanθ

 sec⁡(90−θ)=csc⁡θsec(90−θ)=cscθ

 csc⁡(90−θ)=sec⁡θcsc(90−θ)=secθ
Pythagorean Theorem

In a right-angled triangle:

Hypotenuse2=Perpendicular2+Base2Hypotenuse2=Perpendicular2+Base
2

Dividing the equation by Hypotenuse2Hypotenuse2, Base2Base2,

and Perpendicular2Perpendicular2 yields:

 1=cos⁡2θ+sin⁡2θ1=cos2θ+sin2θ

 sec⁡2θ=1+tan⁡2θsec2θ=1+tan2θ

 csc⁡2θ=1+cot⁡2θcsc2θ=1+cot2θ

Values of T-Ratios

30 45 60 90 180
Angle 0
(π66π) (π44π) (π33π) (π22π) (ππ)

sin⁡sin 01221 1221 3223 1 0

cos⁡cos 13223 1221 1221 0 -1

tan⁡tan 01331 1 33 ∞∞ 0

Important values:

 sin⁡0o=0sin0o=0

 sin⁡180o=0sin180o=0

 cos⁡0o=1cos0o=1

 cos⁡180o=−1cos180o=−1

Special Triangle

For a triangle with angles 37°, 53°, and 90°, the sides are in the ratio
3:4:5.

 sin⁡37o=35sin37o=53

 cos⁡37o=45cos37o=54

 tan⁡37o=34tan37o=43

 sin⁡53o=45sin53o=54

 cos⁡53o=35cos53o=53

 tan⁡53o=43tan53o=34
11th Grade Trigonometry

Angles are measured in radians, where 180o=π180o=π radians.

 360o=2π360o=2π radians

 90o=π290o=2π radians

 60o=π360o=3π radians

All School To College

In the unit circle, the quadrants are defined as follows:

 1st Quadrant (0 - π22π): All T-ratios are positive.

 2nd Quadrant (π22π - ππ): Sine (sin⁡sin) and cosecant (csc⁡csc)

are positive.

 3rd Quadrant (ππ - 3π223π): Tangent (tan⁡tan) and cotangent

(cot⁡cot) are positive.

 4th Quadrant (3π223π - 2π2π): Cosine (cos⁡cos) and secant

(sec⁡sec) are positive.

When angles are on the yy-axis (π22π, 3π223π), T-ratios change. When
angles are on the xx-axis (0, ππ, 2π2π), T-ratios remain the same.

 sin⁡(90−θ)=cos⁡θsin(90−θ)=cosθ

 sin⁡(90+θ)=cos⁡θsin(90+θ)=cosθ

 cos⁡(90+θ)=−sin⁡θcos(90+θ)=−sinθ

 sin⁡(180−θ)=sin⁡θsin(180−θ)=sinθ

 cos⁡(180−θ)=−cos⁡θcos(180−θ)=−cosθ

Trigonometric Formulas

 sin⁡(a+b)=sin⁡acos⁡b+cos⁡asin⁡bsin(a+b)=sinacosb+cosasinb

 sin⁡(a−b)=sin⁡acos⁡b−cos⁡asin⁡bsin(a−b)=sinacosb−cosasinb

 cos⁡(a+b)=cos⁡acos⁡b−sin⁡asin⁡bcos(a+b)=cosacosb−sinasinb

 cos⁡(a−b)=cos⁡acos⁡b+sin⁡asin⁡bcos(a−b)=cosacosb+sinasinb

 sin⁡2θ=2sin⁡θcos⁡θsin2θ=2sinθcosθ

 cos⁡2θ=cos⁡2θ−sin⁡2θcos2θ=cos2θ−sin2θ

Approximations

Small Angle Approximation

When θθ is very small:

 cos⁡θ≈1cosθ≈1

 sin⁡θ≈θsinθ≈θ

 tan⁡θ≈θtanθ≈θ

Note: θθ must be in radians.

Binomial Approximation

If xx is very small compared to 1:

(1+x)n≈1+nx(1+x)n≈1+nx

For example:

(1+0.004)100≈1+100(0.004)=1.4(1+0.004)100≈1+100(0.004)=1.4

(1+x)3≈1+3x(1+x)3≈1+3x

Quadratic Equations

A quadratic equation is of the form ax2+bx+c=0ax2+bx+c=0. The

solutions for xx are:

x=−b±D2ax=2a−b±D

Where D=b2−4acD=b2−4ac is the discriminant.

Graphs

Straight Lines

A linear equation has the form y=mx+cy=mx+c, where mm is the slope

and cc is the y-intercept.

 Slope (mm) is constant for a straight line.

 The equation can also be written as y=y1=y2−y1x2−x1(x−x1)y=y1

=x2−x1y2−y1(x−x1)

 Slope m=tan⁡θm=tanθ, where θθ is the angle the line makes with

the xx-axis.

 m=y2−y1x2−x1=ΔyΔxm=x2−x1y2−y1=ΔxΔy

Slope

 Positive Slope: The graph increases as xx increases.

 Negative Slope: The graph decreases as xx increases.

 The steeper a graph is, the higher the magnitude of the slope.
Circle

The equation of a circle centered at the origin with radius rr is:

x2+y2=r2x2+y2=r2

Ellipse

The equation of an ellipse is:

x2a2+y2b2=1a2x2+b2y2=1

Where aa and bb are the semi-major and semi-minor axes.

Parabola

The equation of a parabola can be y=ax2y=ax2 or x=ay2x=ay2.

Rectangular Hyperbola

A rectangular hyperbola has the form y∝1xy∝x1.

Differentiation

Differentiation finds the instantaneous rate of change (slope) of a curve at

a specific point. It involves breaking the curve into infinitesimally small
segments.

The derivative of yy with respect to xx is denoted as dydxdxdy.

Formulas

 If y=xny=xn, then dydx=nxn−1dxdy=nxn−1

 If y=axny=axn, then dydx=a⋅nxn−1dxdy=a⋅nxn−1

 If y=sin⁡xy=sinx, then dydx=cos⁡xdxdy=cosx

 If y=cos⁡xy=cosx, then dydx=−sin⁡xdxdy=−sinx

 The derivative of a constant is zero.

Chain Rule

If y=u⋅vy=u⋅v, where uu and vv are functions of xx, then:

dydx=udvdx+vdudxdxdy=udxdv+vdxdu

Maxima and Minima

At maxima and minima, the slope of the curve is zero (dydx=0dxdy=0).

 To determine if a point is a maximum or minimum, find the second

derivative (d2ydx2dx2d2y).

 If d2ydx2>0dx2d2y>0, the point is a minimum.

 If d2ydx2<0dx2d2y<0, the point is a maximum.

Integration

Integration is the reverse process of differentiation and is used to find the

area under a curve.

It involves summing up infinitesimally small rectangles under the curve.

The integral of yy with respect to xx is denoted as ∫y dx∫ydx.

Formulas

 ∫xn dx=xn+1n+1+C∫xndx=n+1xn+1+C

 ∫sin⁡x dx=−cos⁡x+C∫sinxdx=−cosx+C

 ∫cos⁡x dx=sin⁡x+C∫cosxdx=sinx+C

Definite Integration

To find the definite integral between limits aa and bb:

∫abf(x) dx=F(b)−F(a)∫abf(x)dx=F(b)−F(a)

Where F(x)F(x) is the antiderivative of f(x)f(x).

Example:

To integrate cos⁡(2x)cos(2x), first find the integral of cos⁡(x)cos(x), which

is sin⁡(x)sin(x). Then, divide by the derivative of 2x2x, which is 2.

∫cos⁡(2x) dx=sin⁡(2x)2+C∫cos(2x)dx=2sin(2x)+C

Logarithms

Logarithms express powers. If 100=1100=1, then log⁡101=0log101=0.

Formulas

 log⁡(a⋅b)=log⁡a+log⁡blog(a⋅b)=loga+logb

 log⁡(ab)=log⁡a−log⁡blog(ba)=loga−logb

 log⁡an=nlog⁡alogan=nloga

Natural Logarithm

The natural logarithm (ln) has a base of e≈2.71e≈2.71.