Which six functions are used in trigonometry?

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In mathematics, the six fundamental trigonometric functions represent the ratios of the sides of a right triangle. These functions are essential to the study of trigonometry and are defined as follows:

  • Sine (sin): The ratio of the opposite side to the hypotenuse.
  • Cosine (cos): The ratio of the adjacent side to the hypotenuse.
  • Tangent (tan): The ratio of the opposite side to the adjacent side.
  • Cosecant (csc): The ratio of the hypotenuse to the opposite side.
  • Secant (sec): The ratio of the hypotenuse to the adjacent side.
  • Cotangent (cot): The ratio of the adjacent side to the opposite side.

These functions can also be defined as circular functions using the coordinates of points on a unit circle. Because they are based on ratios, they are periodic and satisfy various identities derived from the Pythagorean theorem, such as sin2θ+cos2θ=1.123