What is Trigonometry?

Trigonometry studies relationships between angles and sides of triangles. This guide explains sine, cosine, tangent, the unit circle, and applications in physics, engineering, and navigation.

SOH-CAH-TOA

Sin = Opposite ÷ Hypotenuse

Cos = Adjacent ÷ Hypotenuse

Tan = Opposite ÷ Adjacent

The Unit Circle

The unit circle has radius 1 centered at (0,0). Points on the circle correspond to (cos θ, sin θ). This connects trigonometry to circular functions and extends beyond right triangles.

Applications

Trigonometry is essential in physics (waves, forces), engineering (structures, circuits), navigation (GPS, triangulation), and computer graphics (3D modeling, animations).