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In mathematics, sine and cosine are trigonometric functions of an angle.The sine and cosine of an acute angle are defined in the context of a right triangle: for the specified angle, its sine is the ratio of the length of the side opposite that angle to the length of the longest side of the triangle (the hypotenuse), and the cosine is the ratio of the length of the adjacent leg to that of the ...
The sine and the cosine functions, for example, are used to describe simple harmonic motion, which models many natural phenomena, such as the movement of a mass attached to a spring and, for small angles, the pendular motion of a mass hanging by a string. The sine and cosine functions are one-dimensional projections of uniform circular motion.
A formula for computing the trigonometric identities for the one-third angle exists, but it requires finding the zeroes of the cubic equation 4x 3 − 3x + d = 0, where is the value of the cosine function at the one-third angle and d is the known value of the cosine function at the full angle.
The sine and cosine functions are fundamental to the theory of periodic functions, [63] such as those that describe sound and light waves. Fourier discovered that every continuous , periodic function could be described as an infinite sum of trigonometric functions.
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 AD), who discovered the sine function, cosine function, and versine function.
Signs of trigonometric functions in each quadrant. All Students Take Calculus is a mnemonic for the sign of each trigonometric functions in each quadrant of the plane. The letters ASTC signify which of the trigonometric functions are positive, starting in the top right 1st quadrant and moving counterclockwise through quadrants 2 to 4.
In contrast, by the Lindemann–Weierstrass theorem, the sine or cosine of any non-zero algebraic number is always transcendental. [4] The real part of any root of unity is a trigonometric number. By Niven's theorem, the only rational trigonometric numbers are 0, 1, −1, 1/2, and −1/2. [5]
Generally, if the function is any trigonometric function, and is its derivative, ∫ a cos n x d x = a n sin n x + C {\displaystyle \int a\cos nx\,dx={\frac {a}{n}}\sin nx+C} In all formulas the constant a is assumed to be nonzero, and C denotes the constant of integration .