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Find the reference angle and the exact function value if they exist. $$\tan 330^{\circ}$$

Short Answer

Expert verified
Reference angle: 30°, \( \tan 330^{\circ} = -\frac{\sqrt{3}}{3} \)

Step by step solution

01

Calculate the Reference Angle

The reference angle is the positive acute angle that the terminal side of the given angle makes with the x-axis. For an angle in the fourth quadrant like 330°, the reference angle is calculated by subtracting 330° from 360°:\[ 360^{\text{°}} - 330^{\text{°}} = 30^{\text{°}} \]
02

Determine the Tangent Function Value

Next, find the exact value of the tangent for the reference angle 30°. The tangent of 30° is a known value:\[ \tan 30^{\text{°}} = \frac{1}{\sqrt{3}} = \frac{\sqrt{3}}{3} \]
03

Apply the Sign Based on the Quadrant

The angle 330° is in the fourth quadrant, where the tangent function is negative. Therefore, apply the negative sign to the tangent value found:\[ \tan 330^{\text{°}} = -\frac{\sqrt{3}}{3} \]

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Key Concepts

These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.

reference angle
A reference angle is an important concept in trigonometry. It is the smallest angle that you can make between the terminal side of your given angle and the x-axis. This angle is always positive and acute, meaning it's between 0° and 90°.

For example, in the problem where you have to find the reference angle for 330°, since 330° is in the fourth quadrant, you subtract it from 360°:
\[ 360^{\text{°}} - 330^{\text{°}} = 30^{\text{°}} \]
So, the reference angle is 30°.
tangent function
The tangent function, often written as \(\tan\), relates an angle in a right triangle to the ratio of the opposite side to the adjacent side:
\[ \tan(\theta) = \frac{\text{opposite}}{\text{adjacent}} \]
In trigonometry, we often use the tangent function with common angles such as 30°, 45°, and 60°. These values are commonly found using the unit circle or trigonometric tables.
For instance, the tangent of 30° is:
\[ \tan 30^{\text{°}} = \frac{1}{\frac{\text{3}}{1}} = \frac{\text{3}}{3} \]
This value is helpful when working through related problems.
angle quadrants
Understanding angle quadrants is crucial for determining the signs of trigonometric functions. The x-y coordinate plane divides into four quadrants:
  • First Quadrant (0° to 90°)
  • Second Quadrant (90° to 180°)
  • Third Quadrant (180° to 270°)
  • Fourth Quadrant (270° to 360°)

The given angle 330° is in the fourth quadrant. In this quadrant, the tangent function is negative. So, for our angle:
\[ \tan 330^{\text{°}} \]
we first find the tangent of the reference angle (30°) and then apply the negative sign:
\[ \tan 330^{\text{°}} = -\frac{\text{3}}{3} \]
exact function values
Exact function values are necessary in trigonometry. They are usually found for specific angles like 30°, 45°, and 60°. These values are commonly used in higher-level math problems.

In our example:
\[ \tan 30^{\text{°}} = \frac{1}{\frac{\text{3}}{3}} = \frac{\text{3}}{3} \]
We then apply the correct sign based on the quadrant to get the exact value:
\[ \tan 330^{\text{°}} = -\frac{\text{3}}{3} \]

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