Trigonometry for Physics (Mathematics for High School Physics, part 3)

In High School Physics, maths is just a tool… like a hammer or a screwdriver. This course shows you how to use such a tool, in the perspective of a physicist, meaning a practical perspective.

This course contains three sections divided in three classes:

1 - Algebra for Physics

2 - Vectors for Physics

3 - Trigonometry for Physics (the class you are consulting now)

This class “Trigonometry for Physics”, teaches the trigonometric notions students needs while following a Physics course at high school level.

Section 3 – Episode 1: What is an angle?

This first episode of the Trigonometry section goes back to basics by discussing what are angles and how to convert and manipulate them.

Section 3 – Episode 2: Introduction to trigonometry.

This episode is an introduction to trigonometry: It teaches what is a cosine, what is a sine, what is a tangent and how to use these. This episode links these notions to the coordinates of a vectors: This is where the student realizes that all pieces of knowledge seen up to now start matching each other like in a puzzle.

Section 3 – Episode 3: Training exercises with vectors and trigonometry.

The third episode is a set of applied physics exercises that blend trigonometric notions with vectors. If the student works on these exercises diligently by following the instructions in the video, he/she will learn to master the link between vectors and trigonometry.

Section 3 – Episode 4: The Unit Circle.

The 4th episode presents the Unit Circle, a notion most students will have already heard about. This video shows how extremely useful this representation can be in Physics. This video is full of tips!

Section 3 – Episode 5: The Unit Circle (advanced).

The last video of this course goes a little deeper in the unit circle by showing how to represent graphically other trigonometric functions such as tan, co-tan, sec and cosec.