08-20-2009, 04:14 PM
Quote:I just went about memorizing certain values. Like sin(pi/4) = cos(pi/4) = 0.7170, sin(pi/3) = cos(pi/6) = 0.8660, and sin(pi/6) = cos(pi/3) = .5 (then used the various mulitples of those around the circle by remembeingr what the sign of those trig functions were for each quadrant, so quad 1 = positive, quad 2 sin pos, cos neg, quad 3 both neg, quad 4 sin neg, cos pos). Then it just becomes a quick memorization of tan, cot, sec, and csc (sin/cos, cos/sin, 1/sin, and 1/cos) and doing that math quick in the head.
I always did my trig conversions by knowing the proportions of the 45/45/90 and 30/60/90 triangles. Then, if you memorize sqrt(2) = 1.414 and sqrt(3) = 1.73205, the rest falls out from the unit-circle definitions of the trig functions (sin = op/hyp, cos = adj/hyp, etc.). sin(pi/4) = sqrt(2) / 2, etc. If needed, certain other angles can be generated from the trig identities (sin (x+y) and such).
Most exams when I was in school were happy to have you leave it in the form of sqrt(3)/2, or for weird angles just as sin(87.2), but we generally weren't allowed calculators.
<span style="color:red">Terenas (PvE)
Xarhud: Lvl 80 Undead Priest
Meltok: Lvl 70 Undead Mage
Ishila: Lvl 31 Tauren Druid
Tynaria: Lvl 66 Blood Elf Rogue
Xarhud: Lvl 80 Undead Priest
Meltok: Lvl 70 Undead Mage
Ishila: Lvl 31 Tauren Druid
Tynaria: Lvl 66 Blood Elf Rogue