FortyFiveOpen the app

FortyFive › Revision notes › IB Maths: Analysis & Approaches › IB Maths: Analysis & Approaches: Geometry and trigonometry

IB Maths: Analysis & Approaches: Geometry and trigonometry

3D shapes, sine and cosine rules, radians, identities. 18 subtopics.

Learn this topic properly. Interactive diagrams, worked examples, check questions and exam-style practice with mark schemes. Open “Geometry and trigonometry” in FortyFive →

In this topic: 3.1 · 3.2 · 3.3 · 3.4 · 3.5 · 3.6 · 3.7 · 3.8 · 3.9 · 3.10 · 3.11 · 3.12 · 3.13 · 3.14 · 3.15 · 3.16 · 3.17 · 3.18

3.1Three-dimensional geometry

Angle between a line and a plane: drop a perpendicular to the plane and use the right-angled triangle formed.

The full notes, worked example and check questions for this subtopic are in the app.

3.2Trigonometry in right-angled and non-right-angled triangles

Right-angled triangles: SOH CAH TOA and Pythagoras.

The full notes, worked example and check questions for this subtopic are in the app.

3.3Applications: bearings, elevation and depression

Bearings are measured clockwise from north and written with three figures, e.g. \(045^\circ\).

The full notes, worked example and check questions for this subtopic are in the app.

3.4Radians, arc length and sector area

Check whether your GDC is in degree or radian mode.

The full notes, worked example and check questions for this subtopic are in the app.

3.5The unit circle and the ambiguous case

Use symmetry for other quadrants: sine is positive in quadrants 1 and 2, cosine in 1 and 4, tangent in 1 and 3.

The full notes, worked example, interactive diagram and check questions for this subtopic are in the app.

3.6Trigonometric identities

Choose the form of \(\cos2\theta\) that matches what the question gives you.

The full notes, worked example and check questions for this subtopic are in the app.

3.7Circular functions

\(c\) is the horizontal translation. Maximum \(=d+|a|\), minimum \(=d-|a|\).

The full notes, worked example, interactive diagram and check questions for this subtopic are in the app.

3.8Solving trigonometric equations

Find the first solution, then use symmetry and the period to find all solutions in the given interval.

The full notes, worked example and check questions for this subtopic are in the app.

3.9Reciprocal and inverse trigonometric functions HL

\(\arcsin x\): domain \([-1,1]\), range \(\left[-\frac{\pi}{2},\frac{\pi}{2}\right]\).

The full notes, worked example and check questions for this subtopic are in the app.

3.10Compound angle identities HL

\sin(A\pm B)=\sin A\cos B\pm\cos A\sin B\cos(A\pm B)=\cos A\cos B\mp\sin A\sin B\tan(A\pm B)=\frac{\tan A\pm\tan B}{1\mp\tan A\tan B}\qquad \tan2\theta=\frac{2\tan\theta}{1-\tan^{2}\theta}

The full notes, worked example and check questions for this subtopic are in the app.

3.11Symmetry properties of trigonometric graphs HL

\(\cos\) is an even function; \(\sin\) and \(\tan\) are odd functions.

The full notes, worked example and check questions for this subtopic are in the app.

3.12Introduction to vectors HL

Vectors can be written as columns \(\begin{pmatrix}v_1\\v_2\\v_3\end{pmatrix}\) or as \(v_1\mathbf{i}+v_2\mathbf{j}+v_3\mathbf{k}\).

The full notes, worked example and check questions for this subtopic are in the app.

3.13The scalar product HL

\mathbf{v}\cdot\mathbf{w}=v_1w_1+v_2w_2+v_3w_3=|\mathbf{v}||\mathbf{w}|\cos\theta\mathbf{v}\cdot\mathbf{w}=0\iff\mathbf{v}\perp\mathbf{w}

The full notes, worked example and check questions for this subtopic are in the app.

3.14Vector equations of lines HL

\(\mathbf{a}\) is a point on the line and \(\mathbf{b}\) is its direction vector.

The full notes, worked example and check questions for this subtopic are in the app.

3.15Coincident, parallel, intersecting and skew lines HL

Parallel: direction vectors are scalar multiples.

The full notes, worked example and check questions for this subtopic are in the app.

3.16The vector product HL

\(\mathbf{v}\times\mathbf{w}\) is perpendicular to both \(\mathbf{v}\) and \(\mathbf{w}\).

The full notes, worked example and check questions for this subtopic are in the app.

3.17Vector equations of planes HL

A normal can be found from two direction vectors in the plane: \(\mathbf{n}=\mathbf{b}\times\mathbf{c}\).

The full notes, worked example and check questions for this subtopic are in the app.

3.18Intersections and angles of lines and planes HL

Line meets plane: substitute the line's components into the plane equation and solve for the parameter.

The full notes, worked example and check questions for this subtopic are in the app.

Practise Geometry and trigonometry with exam-style questions →

← Functions · Statistics and probability →

← All IB Maths: Analysis & Approaches topics