History of trigonometry

Early study of triangles can be traced to the 2nd millennium BC,

in Egyptian mathematics (Rhind Mathematical Papyrus) and Babylonian
mathematics. Trigonometry was also prevalent in Kushite mathematics.
[1]
Systematic study of trigonometric functions began in Hellenistic
mathematics, reaching India as part of Hellenistic astronomy.[2] In Indian
astronomy, the study of trigonometric functions flourished in the Gupta
period, especially due to Aryabhata (sixth century CE), who discovered
the sine function.
Some of the early and very significant developments of trigonometry
were in India. Influential works from the 4th–5th century AD, known as
the Siddhantas (of which there were five, the most important of which is
the Surya Siddhanta[22]) first defined the sine as the modern relationship
between half an angle and half a chord, while also defining the
cosine, versine, and inverse sine.[23] Soon afterwards, another Indian
mathematician and astronomer, Aryabhata (476–550 AD), collected and
expanded upon the developments of the Siddhantas in an important
work called the Aryabhatiya.[24] The Siddhantas and
the Aryabhatiya contain the earliest surviving tables of sine values
and versine (1 − cosine) values, in 3.75° intervals from 0° to 90°, to an
accuracy of 4 decimal places.

Trigonometric ratio
Triangle terminology
Names of trigonometric ratio
Trigonometric Ratios

Sin θ Opposite Side to θ/Hypotenuse

Cos θ Adjacent Side to θ/Hypotenuse

Tan θ Opposite Side/Adjacent Side & Sin θ/Cos θ

Cot θ Adjacent Side/Opposite Side & 1/tan θ

Sec θ Hypotenuse/Adjacent Side & 1/cos θ

Cosec θ Hypotenuse/Opposite Side & 1/sin θ

Consider a right-angled triangle, right-angled at B.

With respect to ∠C, the ratios of trigonometry are given as:

 sine: Sine of an angle is defined as the ratio of the side opposite(perpendicular side) to that angle
to the hypotenuse.
 cosine: Cosine of an angle is defined as the ratio of the side adjacent to that angle to the
hypotenuse.
 tangent: Tangent of an angle is defined as the ratio of the side opposite to that angle to the side
adjacent to that angle.
 cosecant: Cosecant is a multiplicative inverse of sine.
 secant: Secant is a multiplicative inverse of cosine.
 cotangent: Cotangent is the multiplicative inverse of the tangent.
The above ratios are abbreviated as sin, cos, tan, cosec, sec and tan respectively in the order they are
described. So, for Δ ABC, the ratios are defined as:
sin C = (Side opposite to ∠C)/(Hypotenuse) = AB/AC
cos C = (Side adjacent to ∠C)/(Hypotenuse) = BC/AC
tan C = (Side opposite to ∠C)/(Side adjacent to ∠C) = AB/BC = sin ∠C/cos ∠C
cosec C= 1/sin C = (Hypotenuse)/ (Side Opposite to ∠C) = AC/AB
sec C = 1/cos C = (Hypotenuse)/ (Side Opposite to ∠C) = AC/BC
cot C = 1/tan C = (Side adjacent to ∠C)/(Side opposite to ∠C)= BC/AB

trigonometric ratio of standard angles

Value of Trigonometric Ratios for Angle equal to 45 degrees
In
⊿⊿ABC
, if
∠C
=
45°
, then
∠A
=
45°
. Since the angles are equal,
⊿⊿ABC
becomes a right angled isosceles triangle. So,
AB
=
BC
. Assume
AB
=
BC
=
a
units.
Using Pythagoras theorem ,
AC2
=
AB2 + BC2
AC2
=
a2 + a2
AC
=
a2 units
∠C
=
45°
∴ sin ∠C
=
sin 45°
=
ABAC
=
aa2
=
12

cosec 45°
=
1sin 45°
=
2
cos ∠C
=
cos 45°
=
BCAC
=
aa2
=
12

sec 45°
=
1cos 45°
=
2
tan 45°
=
sin 45°cos 45°
=
a2a2
=
1

cot 45°
=
1tan 45°
=
1
Value of Trigonometric Ratios for Angle equal to 30 and 60 degrees
In figure 3,
∆PQR
is equilateral. The perpendicular from any vertex on the opposite side is coincident with the angle bisector
of that particular vertex. Also, the perpendicular bisects the opposite side. If a perpendicular
PS
is dropped on
QR
, then
∠QPS
=
∠SPR
=
30°
and
QS
=
SR
. Assume
PQ
=
QR
=
RP
=
2a
units.
⇒ QS
=
SR
=
a
units
In
∆PSQ
, by Pythagoras theorem,
PQ2
=
QS2 + PS2
PS2
=
(2a)2 − a2
PS
=
3a2
=
3a
∠SPQ
=
30°
sin ∠SPQ
=
sin 30°
=
SQPQ
=
a2a
=
12

cosec 30°
=
1sin 30°
=
2
cos ∠SPQ
=
cos 30°
=
PSPQ
=
3a2a
=
32

sec 30°
=
1cos 30°
=
23
tan 30°
=
sin 30°cos 30°
=
1232
=
13

cot 30°
=
BCAB
=
3
Similarly, ratios of 60° are determined by finding the ratios of
∠SQP
as
sin 60°
=
32

cos 60°
=
12
tan 60°
=
3

cot 60°
=
13
cosec 60°
=
23

sec 60°
=
2
Value of Trigonometric Ratios for Angle equal to 0 and 90 degrees
In
∆ABC
is a right angled triangle. If the length of side
BC
is continuously decreased, then value of
∠A
will keep on decreasing. Similarly, value of
∠C
is increasing as length of
BC
is decreasing. When BC = 0, ∠A = 0 , ∠C = 90° and AB = AC.
Taking ratios for
∠A
=
0°
sin ∠A
=
sin 0°
=
BCAC
=
0AC
=
0
cosec 0°
=
1sin 0°
=
10
= Not Defined
cos ∠A
=
cos 0°
=
ABAC
=
ACAC
=
1
sec 0°
=
1cos 0°
=
11
=
1
tan 0°
=
sin 0°cos 0°
=
01
=
0
cot 0°
=
1tan 0°
=
10
= Not Defined
Taking ratios for
∠C
=
90°
sin ∠C
=
sin 90°
=
ABAC
=
ACAC
=
1
cosec90°
=
1sin 90°
=
11
=
1
cos ∠C
=
cos 90°
=
BCAC
=
0AC
=
0
sec 90°
=
1cos 90°
=
10
= Not Defined
tan 90°
=
sin 90°cos 90°
=
10
= Not Defined
cot 90°
=
1tan 90°
=
01
=

Trigonometric identities
Reciprocal Trigonometric Identities
The reciprocal trigonometric identities are:

 Sin θ = 1/Csc θ or Csc θ = 1/Sin θ

 Cos θ = 1/Sec θ or Sec θ = 1/Cos θ
 Tan θ = 1/Cot θ or Cot θ = 1/Tan θ

Pythagorean Trigonometric Identities

There are three Pythagorean trigonometric identities in trigonometry that are based on the right-triangle
theorem or Pythagoras theorem.

 sin2 a + cos2 a = 1
 1+tan2 a = sec2 a
 cosec2 a = 1 + cot2 a

Ratio Trigonometric Identities

The trigonometric ratio identities are:

 Tan θ = Sin θ/Cos θ

  Cot θ = Cos θ/Sin θ

Trigonometric Identities of Complementary Angles

In geometry, two angles are complementary if their sum is equal to 90 degrees. Similarly, when we can
learn here the trigonometric identities for complementary angles.

 Sin (90 – θ) = Cos θ

 Cos (90 – θ) = Sin θ
 Tan (90 – θ) = Cot θ
 Cot ( 90 – θ) = Tan θ
 Sec (90 – θ) = Csc θ
 Csc (90 – θ) = Sec θ

Application of trigonometry
trigonometry to Measure Height of a Building or a Mountain
Trigonometry is used in measuring the height of a building or a mountain. The
distance of a building from the viewpoint and the elevation angle can easily
determine the height of a building using the trigonometric functions.

If the distance from where the building is observed is 90 ft from its base and the angle of elevation to
the top of the building is 35°, then find the height of the building.
Solution:
Given:

1. Distance from the building is 90 feet from its base.

2. The angle of elevation from to the top of the building is 35°.

Let us find the height of the building by recalling the trigonometric formulas. Here, the angle and the
adjacent side length are provided. So, using the formula of
tan
.
tan⁡35∘=OppositeSideAdjacentSide
tan 35°= h/90
h = 90 × tan 35°
h = 90 × 0.7002
h = 63.018 ft
Thus, the height of the building is 63.018 ft.

Trigonometry in Aviation
Aviation technology has evolved with many upgrades in the last few years. It has taken into account the
speed, direction and distance as well as the speed and direction of the wind. The wind plays a vital role in
when and how a flight will travel. This equation can be solved by using trigonometry.

Trigonometry in Criminology
Trigonometry is even used in the investigation of a crime scene. The functions of trigonometry are helpful
to calculate a trajectory of a projectile and estimate the causes of a collision in a car accident. Further, it is
used to identify how an object falls or at what angle the gun is shot.

Trigonometry in Navigation
Trigonometry is used in navigating directions; it estimates in what direction to place the compass to get a
straight direction. With the help of a compass and trigonometric functions in navigation, it will be easy to
pinpoint a location and also to find distance as well to see the horizon.