SAT II Math I : SAT Subject Test in Math I

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for SAT II Math I

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Example Questions

Example Question #1 : Sine, Cosine, Tangent

Determine the exact value of .

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

The exact value of  is the x-value when the angle is 45 degrees on the unit circle.  

The x-value of this angle is .

Example Question #2 : Sine, Cosine, Tangent


Sine

Which of the following is equal to cos(x)?

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

Remember SOH-CAH-TOA! That means:

                      

                                       

                      

sin(y) is equal to cos(x)

Example Question #2 : Sin, Cos, Tan

Find the value of .

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

To find the value of , solve each term separately.

Sum the two terms.

Example Question #11 : Trigonometry

Calculate .

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

The tangent function has a period of  units. That is,

for all .

Since , we can rewrite the original expression  as follows:

                 

                 

                 

                 

Hence, 

Example Question #2 : Sin, Cos, Tan

Calculate .

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

First, convert the given angle measure from radians to degrees:

Next, recall that  lies in the fourth quadrant of the unit circle, wherein the cosine is positive. Furthermore, the reference angle of  is 

Hence, all that is required is to recognize from these observations that 

,

which is .

Therefore,

Example Question #1 : Secant, Cosecant, Cotangent

If  and , what is the value of ?

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

Since cotangent is positive and sine is negative, alpha must be in quadrant III.  then implies that is a point on the terminal side of alpha. 

Example Question #2 : Secant, Cosecant, Cotangent

If and , then which of the following must be true about .

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

Since cosecant is negative, theta must be in quadrant III or IV. 

Since tangent is positive, it must be in quadrant I or III. 

Therefore, theta must be in quadrant III.

Using a unit circle we can see that quadrant III is when theta is between  and .

Example Question #2 : Secant, Cosecant, Cotangent

The point  lies on the terminal side of an angle in standard position. Find the secant of the angle.

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

Secant is defined to be the ratio of  to  where  is the distance from the origin. 

The Pythagoreanr Triple 5, 12, 13 helps us realize that

Since , the answer is .

Example Question #3 : Secant, Cosecant, Cotangent

Given angles  and  in quadrant I, and given,

  and ,

find the value of .

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

Use the following trigonometric identity to solve this problem.

Using the Pythagorean triple 3,4,5, it is easy to find .

Using the Pythagorean triple 5,12,13, it is easy to find .

So substituting all four values into the top equation, we get

Example Question #1 : Secant, Cosecant, Cotangent

Find the value of the trigonometric function in fraction form for triangle .

Triangle

What is the secant of ?

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

The value of the secant of an angle is the value of the hypotenuse over the adjacent.

Therefore:

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