Topic 3: Geometry and Trigonometry

SL 3.1 Mensuration ● The distance between two points in

three- dimensional space, and their
midpoint.
● Volume and surface area of
three-dimensional solids including
right-pyramid, right cone, sphere,
hemisphere and combinations of
these solids.
● The size of an angle between two
intersecting lines or between a line
and a plane.

SL 3.2 Sine Rule and ● Use of sine, cosine and tangent

Cosine Rule ratios to find the sides and angles of
right-angled triangles.
𝑎 𝑏 𝑐
● The sine rule: 𝑠𝑖𝑛 𝐴 = 𝑠𝑖𝑛 𝐵 = 𝑠𝑖𝑛 𝐶 .
● The cosine rule:
2 2 2
𝑐 = 𝑎 + 𝑏 − 2𝑎𝑏 𝑐𝑜𝑠 𝐶;
2 2 2
𝑎 +𝑏 −𝑐
𝑐𝑜𝑠 𝐶 = 2𝑎𝑏
.
1
● Area of a triangle as 2
𝑎𝑏 𝑠𝑖𝑛 𝐶.

SL 3.3 Applications of ● Applications of right and non-right

Trigonometry angled trigonometry, including
Pythagoras’ theorem.
● Angles of elevation and depression.
● Construction of labelled diagrams
from written statements.

SL 3.4 The Unit Circle ● The circle: radian measure of

angles; length of an arc; area of a
sector.

SL 3.5 Trigonometry with ● Definition of 𝑐𝑜𝑠 θ, 𝑠𝑖𝑛 θ in terms of

Radian the unit circle.
Measurement ●
𝑠𝑖𝑛 θ
Definition of 𝑡𝑎𝑛 θ as 𝑐𝑜𝑠 θ .
● Exact values of trigonometric ratios
π π π π
of 6 , 4 , 3 , 2 and their multiples.
● Extension of the sine rule to the
ambiguous case.

SL 3.6 Trigonometric ● The Pythagorean identity

Identities 2 2
𝑐𝑜𝑠 θ + 𝑠𝑖𝑛 θ = 1. Double angle
identities for sine and cosine.
● The relationship between
trigonometric ratios.

SL 3.7 Trigonometric ● The circular functions 𝑠𝑖𝑛 𝑥, 𝑐𝑜𝑠 𝑥,

Functions and and 𝑡𝑎𝑛 𝑥; amplitude, their periodic
 Transformations nature, and their graphs.
● Composite functions of the form
𝑓(𝑥) = 𝑎 𝑠𝑖𝑛 (𝑏(𝑥 + 𝑐)) + 𝑑.
● Transformations.
● Real-life contexts.

SL 3.8 Trigonometric ● Solving trigonometric equations in a

Equations finite interval, both graphically and
analytically.
● Equations leading to quadratic
equations in 𝑠𝑖𝑛 𝑥, 𝑐𝑜𝑠 𝑥 or 𝑡𝑎𝑛 𝑥.

AHL 3.9 Reciprocal ● Definition of the reciprocal

Trigonometric Ratios trigonometric ratios 𝑠𝑒𝑐 θ, 𝑐𝑠𝑐 θ and
𝑐𝑜𝑡 θ.
● Pythagorean identities:
2 2
○ 1 + 𝑡𝑎𝑛 θ = 𝑠𝑒𝑐 θ
2 2
○ 1 + 𝑐𝑜𝑡 θ = 𝑐𝑠𝑐 θ
○ The inverse functions
𝑓(𝑥) = 𝑎𝑟𝑐𝑠𝑖𝑛 𝑥,
𝑓(𝑥) = 𝑎𝑟𝑐𝑐𝑜𝑠 𝑥,
𝑓(𝑥) = 𝑎𝑟𝑐𝑡𝑎𝑛 𝑥; their
domains and ranges; their
graphs.

AHL 3.10 Compound Angle ● Compound angle identities.

Identities ● Double angle identity for 𝑡𝑎𝑛.

AHL 3.11 Symmetric ● Relationships between

Properties of trigonometric functions and the
Trigonometric symmetry properties of their graphs.
Function

AHL 3.12 Vectors ● Concept of a vector; position

vectors; displacement vectors.
● Representation of vectors using
directed line segments.
● Base vectors 𝑖, 𝑗, 𝑘.
● Components of a vector:
𝑣 =< 𝑣1, 𝑣2, 𝑣3 >= 𝑣1𝑖 + 𝑣2𝑗 + 𝑣3𝑘.
● Algebraic and geometric
approaches to the following:
○ the sum and difference of
two vectors.
○ the zero vector 0, the vector
− 𝑣.
○ multiplication by a scalar, 𝑘𝑣,
parallel vectors.
○ magnitude of a vector, |𝑣|;
𝑣
unit vectors, |𝑣| .
→
○ position vectors 𝑂𝐴 = 𝑎,
 →
𝑂𝐵 = 𝑏.
○ displacement vector
→
𝐴𝐵 =− 𝑏𝑎.
● Proofs of geometrical properties
using vectors.

AHL 3.13 Relationships ● The definition of the scalar product

between Vectors of two vectors.
● The angle between two vectors.
● Perpendicular vectors; parallel
vectors.

AHL 3.14 Vector Equation ● Vector equation of a line in two and

three dimensions: 𝑟 = 𝑎 + λ𝑏.
● The angle between two lines.
● Simple applications to kinematics.

AHL 3.15 Linear Relationships ● Coincident, parallel, intersecting

in 3D Space and skew lines, distinguishing
between these cases.
● Points of intersection.

AHL 3.16 Vector Products ● The definition of the vector product

of two vectors.
● Properties of the vector product.
● Geometric interpretation of |𝑣 × 𝑤|.

AHL 3.17 Vectors in the Plane ● Vector equations of a plane:

○ 𝑟 = 𝑎 + λ𝑏 + µ𝑐, where 𝑏
and 𝑐 are non-parallel
vectors within the plane.
○ 𝑟 · 𝑛 = 𝑎 · 𝑛, where 𝑛 is a
normal to the plane and 𝑎 is
the position vector of a point
on the plane.
● Cartesian equation of a plane
𝑎𝑥 + 𝑏𝑦 + 𝑐𝑧 = 𝑑.

AHL 3.18 Intersections ● Intersections of: a line with a plane;

between Lines and two planes; three planes.
Planes ● Angle between: a line and a plane;
two planes.