Appendix
A-7: Trigonometry
Example A-7.9
Obtain a Maple graph of the sine function where the argument is given in degrees, not radians.
Solution
Figure A-7.9(a) provides a graph of one period of the sine function wherein the horizontal axis is scaled in degrees, rather than in radians.
To obtain such a graph, apply the plot command, with range x∈0,360, to sinπ x/180.
Alternatively, let Maple change the argument of the sine function via a call to the Units package, as explained below.
Figure A-7.9(a) Sine function graphed in degrees
Use Maple to change to degrees
Tools≻Load Package: Units
Loading Units:-Standard
Write sinx, but after the x leave a space and invoke the generic unit template from the Units (FPS) palette.
Change the placeholder unit to degrees.
Context Panel: Evaluate and Display Inline
sinx degrees = sin1180xπ
As can be seen, invoking the Units package simply scales x to degrees. No really clever internal change to either the plot command or to the sine function actually takes place. Calculus with the trig functions is done in terms of radian measure, not degrees. Hence, Maple has but minimal accommodations for graphing (or working with) the trig functions in degrees.
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