Dear Future Math Students,
Unit Q deals with several fundamental identities, trig functions, ratios, and using different simplification processes in order to solve and verify as well. I know that this sounds like gibberish and that you probably want to cry because it just seems so confusing and you just do not want to go through this, but DON'T WORRY! I did it and it was okay....after you practice practice practice and get the feel for it. I am not going to lie, IT IS DIFFICULT! But it will not be the end of the world! Do not give up and try and practice and sooner or later you will succeed! (: Okay well let me go more in depth...
1. What does it actually mean to verify a trig identity?
-To verify simply means to check and prove that whatever is stated is true. For example, if you had 1+1=2 then you simply have to go through steps that will help you prove that 1+1 actually does equal 2. Of course, it will not be a nice and easy as my example. ...Sorry ._. And so, basically that you have to be sure to solve a problem and get the same answer as the one that is given and equaled to. Oh! and it is better when you have to verify rather than having to just solve and come up with an answer. The reason is that when you are verifying, you know the answer you should end up with and it is just you having to plug in and substitute and solve until you hit bingo and check the answer, whereas when it comes to just solving and you are obviously not given an answer, then you just have to solve correctly and pray you get it correct.
2. What tips and tricks have I found helpful?
-Okay so we know that there are a bunch of functions and ratios like sine, cosine, tangent, cosecant, secant, and cotangent, yet a tip I have is to turn everything into sin/cos at some point because it will become easier. Sine and cosine can be considered our best friends in this case. They are nice to us, so might as well use them. (; Also, I have foreseen the future and I know that you will feel discouraged and defeated, but NO! You can do this! DON'T GIVE UP! This is a tip that I know you WILL need! So use it! Keep working through it and take various adventures with the problem.
3. Explaining my thought process and steps I take in verifying a trig identity.
-Okay so if you noticed, I said that you should take various adventures with the problem and what did I mean? Well the beauty of these problems is that there isn't only one way on solving a problem so you really can't o wrong! Yay! If you begin differently than someone else, it's okay just keep going and don't get stuck, use your knowledge, you identities, your reciprocals. Now, when I encounter a problem I think and wonder what I should do first. Should I turn into sine and cosine? Should I multiply by the conjugate? Should I split the problem up maybe to see if something cancels? Or maybe I should find the least common denominator? Perhaps this is an identity? Honestly, I just think of what to do first and then I keep going just trying stuff and see where it takes me and I just use the skills I know. There is never one path so don't be afraid of trying something! (:
No comments:
Post a Comment