Trigonometry Placement at UT Tyler

Who Needs To Take It?

• Anyone who needs to take MATH 2413: Calculus I and who has not already taken MATH 1316: Trigonometry or equivalent.  If you had a course in trigonometry in high school and want to go straight into calculus, you must take the trigonometry placement test.  If you never had a course in trigonometry, it is recommended that you enroll in Trigonometry prior to enrolling in Calculus I.

• Mathematics, Biology, Chemistry, Computer Science, and Engineering majors must Calculus I (MATH 2413), so students in these majors may need to take the trigonometry placement test if they have not already had a college trigonometry course or equivalent.

In order to take MATH 2413 you must meet at least one of the following prerequisites:

1. A grade of C or better in Trigonometry (MATH 1316 or equivalent) or in a Mathematics Department approved pre-calculus course (this is MATH 2412 in Texas but is not offered at UTT).

2. Pass a trigonometry placement test administered by the Academic Advising Center. You may contact them to schedule your exam at 903-565-5712.  It is suggested that you study for this test.

3. Score of 675 or higher on the SAT (quantitative section) or 27 or higher on the ACT (math section).

If you do not satisfy requirements 1 or 3 then you MUST take this test (or else enroll in MATH 1316: Trigonometry prior to enrolling in MATH 2413: Calculus)

When and Where?

When you come on campus to meet with an advisor in Academic Advising and you have indicated any of the above majors, they will automatically schedule a one hour block for you to take the test. You do not HAVE to take it then if you are not prepared. You can schedule a later date with them. But you will be unable to register for Calculus until you have taken the test.

How can you practice for the trigonometry placement test?

• Sample Trigonometry Placement Test Problems (Note:  This sample test uses problems from the book Trigonometry, 8/E, by Lial, Hornsby, and Schneider, ISBN: 0-321-22736-0)

• Trigonometry Study Guide (has lots of links to good websites for learning trigonometry)

The following topics may be covered on the placement test:

The following topics

• Definitions of trig functions

1. Given the side lengths of a triangle, find the sin, cos, tan, cot, sec, and/or csc for a designated angle of the triangle.  See problem #1 from the practice problems

2. Given that a point (x,y) lies on the terminal side of an angle in terminal position, find the sin, cos, tan, cot, sec, and/or csc for that angle.  See problem #2 from the practice problems

• Evaluation of trigonometric functions at special angles

1. Given an angle that is a multiple of 30 or 45 degrees, be able to find the sin, cos, tan, cot, sec, and/or csc of that angle measure.  See problem #3 from the practice problems

2. Given an angle that is a multiple of π/6 or π/4 degrees, be able to find the sin, cos, tan, cot, sec, and/or csc of that angle measure.  See problem #4 from the practice problems

• Right triangles

1. Be able to determine the values of the six trigonometric functions for an angle in a given right triangle.  See problem #5 from the practice problems

2. Be able to solve for the missing sides of a right triangle.  See problem #6 from the practice problems

• Cofunctions

1. Know the reciprocal identities and the cofunction identities.  Be able to use these identities to find trigonometric values.  See problem #7-8 from the practice problems

• Radian measure

1. Be able to convert angle measures in degrees to radians and vice versa.  See problem #9-10 from the practice problems

• Graphing

1. Given the graph of trigonometric equation, be able to identify the formula corresponding to that graph  See problem #11 from the practice problems

• Identities

1. Given a trigonometric expression, be able to simplify this expression using the fundamental, reciprocal, and Pythagorean identities.  See problem #12-13 from the practice problems

2. Be able to use the fundamental, reciprocal, and Pythagorean identities to find the trigonometric values of the six trigonometric functions given the value of one of the six trigonometric functions at an angle and the quadrant in which this angle lies.  See problem #14 from the practice problems

• Trig Equations

1. Be able to solve equations involving trigonometric functions.  See problem #15-16 from the practice problems

• Inverse Trig functions

1. Be able to find inverse trigonometric function values for given real numbers corresponding to angles at multiples of π/6 or π/4 degrees.   See problem #17-18 from the practice problems