History of trigonometry

Trigonometry is a field of mathematics first compiled by 2nd century BCE by the Greek
mathematician Hipparchus. The history of trigonometry and of trigonometric functions follows the general lines of the history of mathematics. Early study of triangles can be traced to the 2nd millennium BC, in Egyptian mathematics (RhindMathematical Papyrus) and Babylonian mathematics. Systematic study of trigonometric functions begins in Hellenistic mathematics, reaching India as part of Hellenistic astronomy. In Indian astronomy, the study of trigonometric functions flowers in the Gupta period, especially due to Aryabhata (6th century). During the middle Ages, the study of trigonometry is continued in Islamic mathematics, whence it is adopted as a separate subject in the Latin West beginning in the Renaissance with Regiomontanus. The development of modern trigonometry then takes place in the western Age of Enlightenment, beginning with 17th century mathematics (Isaac Newton, James Stirling) and reaching its modern form with Leonhard Euler (1748). Trigonometry (from Greek trignon "triangle" + metron "measure"[1]) is a branch of mathematics that studies triangles and the relationships between their sides and the angles between these sides. Trigonometry defines the trigonometric functions, which describe those relationships and have applicability to cyclical phenomena, such as waves. The field evolved during the third century BC as a branch of geometry used extensively for astronomical studies.[2] It is also the foundation of the practical art of surveying.

Hipparchus was called the father of trigonometry

Hipparchus was a Greek mathematician that lived in the second century BCE. He was said to use Hellenistic mathematics to create his theory of trigonometry. Hipparchus lived circa 190 to 120 BC. He was also a Greek astrologer, astronomer, mathematician and geographer. He used his knowledge to come up with the theory of trigonometry. He was born in Nicaea, which is now Iznik, Turkey. He was said to have died on the island of Rhodes. Hipparchus was well known as an astronomer between 162 and 127BC. He has always been referred to as the greatest ancient astronomy observer. He was also said to be the greatest astronomer of antiquity. He was the first one to have proper models for the movements of the sun and moon.

Trigonometric Function
In mathematics, the trigonometric functions (also called circular functions) are functions of an angle. They are used to relate the angles of a triangle to the lengths of the sides of a triangle. Trigonometric functions are important in the study of triangles and modeling periodic phenomena, among many other applications. The most familiar trigonometric functions are the sine, cosine, and tangent.

Trigonometric Functions

Function

Abbreviation

Description

Identities (using radians)

Sine

sin

opposite / hypotenuse

Cosine

cos

adjacent / hypotenuse

Tangent

tan (or tg)

opposite / adjacent

Cotangent

cot (or cotan or cotg or ctg or ctn)

adjacent / opposite

Secant

sec

hypotenuse / adjacent

Cosecant csc (or cosec)

hypotenuse / opposite

Sine, cosine, and tangent

The sine of an angle is the ratio of the length of the opposite side to the length of the hypotenuse. (The [1] word comes from the Latin sinus for gulf or bay, since, given a unit circle, it is the side of the triangle on which the angle opens). In our case

Note that this ratio does not depend on size of the particular right triangle chosen, as long as it contains the angle A, since all such triangles are similar.

The cosine of an angle is the ratio of the length of the adjacent side to the length of the hypotenuse: so [2] called because it is the sine of the complementary or co-angle. In our case

The tangent of an angle is the ratio of the length of the opposite side to the length of the adjacent side: so called because it can be represented as a line segment tangent to the circle, that is the line that [3] touches the circle, from Latin linea tangens or touching line (cf. tangere, to touch). In our case

The cosecant csc(A), or cosec(A), is the reciprocal of sin(A), i.e. the ratio of the length of the hypotenuse to the length of the opposite side:

The secant sec(A) is the reciprocal of cos(A), i.e. the ratio of the length of the hypotenuse to the length of the adjacent side:

It is so called because it represents the line that cuts the circle (from Latin: secare, to cut).

[4]

The cotangent cot(A) is the reciprocal of tan(A), i.e. the ratio of the length of the adjacent side to the length of the opposite side: