<p>So I have literally NO knowledge of Geometry. I'm taking Trigonometry this semester, and it's my first week back in class - we're reviewing Geometry and proofs... And I'm so lost, I have absolutely no idea what's going on. </p>
<p>How much Geometry is needed for Trig? What should I learn (quickly) about Geometry before our class dives into the real Trig stuff?</p>
<p>Any other advice is greatly appreciated! I'm pretty strong in Algebra, but Geometry is really throwing me off. It's incredible how lost I am, lol.</p>
<p>Thanks in advance!</p>
<p>I don’t think you need a lot of geometry. I mean, what you’re learning in trig is basically a very in-depth view of a part of geometry - the geometry of triangles. Therefore, the only things you probably have to recall from geometry are some basic right triangle trig, sin/cos/tan, Heron’s formula (maybe), etc. Just some basic stuff that shouldn’t be too hard to pick up.</p>
<p>For trig you need to know about angles, sides of triangles, the sum of angles in a triangle is 180 degrees, etc.</p>
<p>You might face problems where you are given some system of intersecting lines (two parallels and a third one that intersects both, say), or some similar triangle problems, and have to work out what a certain angle or side length is based on the given information.</p>
<p>What things about geometry are they reviewing?</p>
<p>Thanks for the prompt replies and advice!</p>
<p>@TomServo, we began going over just the terms of Geometry, point, lines, rays, segments, etc… pretty much what you described are things we’re going over. </p>
<p>One example problem we did today was exactly like you described, with two parallels and a third line that intersects both, and like three points labeled “beta, alpha, gamma” and we had to do something I didn’t understand… and then she wrote some long-winded, rigorous proof afterward that confused me even more.</p>
<p>I think some of my problems stem from the fact that I don’t know the terminology too well… so congruent, supplementary angles, alternate interior angles, the idea of putting two arching lines around an angle to show congruence to something… is just really confusing to me right now. There hasn’t been a lot of computation, just really long winded proofs following some problems that I don’t understand AT ALL.</p>
<p>Go to office hours and use your school’s free tutoring service.</p>
<p>You really don’t need to know much geometry to do well in trig. It’s a very focused topic, where as geometry covers a very broad range of shapes and figures. Aside from the basic properties of lines and angles, and the Pythagorean Theorem, there isn’t really that much you need.</p>
<p>I find it odd that you’re going over geometric proofs in trig. When I took it, we didn’t write any geometric proofs. We had to prove trig identities, but that’s more algebraic than it is geometric. There should be at least a marginal review of most of the topics you’ll need to know. If not, the parts of geometry in a trig course are simple enough that you should be able to pick them up as you go.</p>