Trigonometry Examples

$(- \sqrt{3}, - 1)$

Step 1

To find the $\sec (θ)$ between the x-axis and the line between the points $(0, 0)$ and $(- \sqrt{3}, - 1)$ , draw the triangle between the three points $(0, 0)$ , $(- \sqrt{3}, 0)$ , and $(- \sqrt{3}, - 1)$ .

Opposite : $- 1$

Adjacent : $- \sqrt{3}$

Step 2

Find the hypotenuse using Pythagorean theorem $c = \sqrt{a^{2} + b^{2}}$ .

Tap for more steps...

Step 2.1

Simplify the expression.

Tap for more steps...

Step 2.1.1

Apply the product rule to $- \sqrt{3}$ .

$\sqrt{{(- 1)}^{2} {\sqrt{3}}^{2} + {(- 1)}^{2}}$

Step 2.1.2

Raise $- 1$ to the power of $2$ .

$\sqrt{1 {\sqrt{3}}^{2} + {(- 1)}^{2}}$

Step 2.1.3

Multiply ${\sqrt{3}}^{2}$ by $1$ .

$\sqrt{{\sqrt{3}}^{2} + {(- 1)}^{2}}$

Step 2.2

Rewrite ${\sqrt{3}}^{2}$ as $3$ .

Tap for more steps...

Step 2.2.1

Use $\sqrt[n]{a^{x}} = a^{\frac{x}{n}}$ to rewrite $\sqrt{3}$ as $3^{\frac{1}{2}}$ .

$\sqrt{{(3^{\frac{1}{2}})}^{2} + {(- 1)}^{2}}$

Step 2.2.2

Apply the power rule and multiply exponents, ${(a^{m})}^{n} = a^{m n}$ .

$\sqrt{3^{\frac{1}{2} \cdot 2} + {(- 1)}^{2}}$

Step 2.2.3

Combine $\frac{1}{2}$ and $2$ .

$\sqrt{3^{\frac{2}{2}} + {(- 1)}^{2}}$

Step 2.2.4

Cancel the common factor of $2$ .

Tap for more steps...

Step 2.2.4.1

Cancel the common factor.

$\sqrt{3^{\frac{2}{2}} + {(- 1)}^{2}}$

Step 2.2.4.2

Rewrite the expression.

$\sqrt{3^{1} + {(- 1)}^{2}}$

Step 2.2.5

Evaluate the exponent.

$\sqrt{3 + {(- 1)}^{2}}$

Step 2.3

Simplify the expression.

Tap for more steps...

Step 2.3.1

Raise $- 1$ to the power of $2$ .

$\sqrt{3 + 1}$

Step 2.3.2

Add $3$ and $1$ .

$\sqrt{4}$

Step 2.3.3

Rewrite $4$ as $2^{2}$ .

$\sqrt{2^{2}}$

Step 2.4

Pull terms out from under the radical, assuming positive real numbers.

$2$

Step 3

$\sec (θ) = \frac{Hypotenuse}{Adjacent}$ therefore $\sec (θ) = \frac{2}{- \sqrt{3}}$ .

$\frac{2}{- \sqrt{3}}$

Step 4

Simplify $\sec (θ)$ .

Tap for more steps...

Step 4.1

Move the negative in front of the fraction.

$\sec (θ) = - \frac{2}{\sqrt{3}}$

Step 4.2

Multiply $\frac{2}{\sqrt{3}}$ by $\frac{\sqrt{3}}{\sqrt{3}}$ .

$\sec (θ) = - (\frac{2}{\sqrt{3}} \cdot \frac{\sqrt{3}}{\sqrt{3}})$

Step 4.3

Combine and simplify the denominator.

Tap for more steps...

Step 4.3.1

Multiply $\frac{2}{\sqrt{3}}$ by $\frac{\sqrt{3}}{\sqrt{3}}$ .

$\sec (θ) = - \frac{2 \sqrt{3}}{\sqrt{3} \sqrt{3}}$

Step 4.3.2

Raise $\sqrt{3}$ to the power of $1$ .

$\sec (θ) = - \frac{2 \sqrt{3}}{\sqrt{3} \sqrt{3}}$

Step 4.3.3

Raise $\sqrt{3}$ to the power of $1$ .

$\sec (θ) = - \frac{2 \sqrt{3}}{\sqrt{3} \sqrt{3}}$

Step 4.3.4

Use the power rule $a^{m} a^{n} = a^{m + n}$ to combine exponents.

$\sec (θ) = - \frac{2 \sqrt{3}}{{\sqrt{3}}^{1 + 1}}$

Step 4.3.5

Add $1$ and $1$ .

$\sec (θ) = - \frac{2 \sqrt{3}}{{\sqrt{3}}^{2}}$

Step 4.3.6

Rewrite ${\sqrt{3}}^{2}$ as $3$ .

Tap for more steps...

Step 4.3.6.1

Use $\sqrt[n]{a^{x}} = a^{\frac{x}{n}}$ to rewrite $\sqrt{3}$ as $3^{\frac{1}{2}}$ .

$\sec (θ) = - \frac{2 \sqrt{3}}{{(3^{\frac{1}{2}})}^{2}}$

Step 4.3.6.2

Apply the power rule and multiply exponents, ${(a^{m})}^{n} = a^{m n}$ .

$\sec (θ) = - \frac{2 \sqrt{3}}{3^{\frac{1}{2} \cdot 2}}$

Step 4.3.6.3

Combine $\frac{1}{2}$ and $2$ .

$\sec (θ) = - \frac{2 \sqrt{3}}{3^{\frac{2}{2}}}$

Step 4.3.6.4

Cancel the common factor of $2$ .

Tap for more steps...

Step 4.3.6.4.1

Cancel the common factor.

$\sec (θ) = - \frac{2 \sqrt{3}}{3^{\frac{2}{2}}}$

Step 4.3.6.4.2

Rewrite the expression.

$\sec (θ) = - \frac{2 \sqrt{3}}{3}$

Step 4.3.6.5

Evaluate the exponent.

$\sec (θ) = - \frac{2 \sqrt{3}}{3}$

Step 5

Approximate the result.

$\sec (θ) = - \frac{2 \sqrt{3}}{3} \approx - 1.15470053$