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Measuring Right Triangles: Trigonometric Functions
Trigonometry literally means “triangle measure.” The trigonometry (or "trig") that we’ll explore here is
restricted to right triangles, so sometimes it’s called right triangle trigonometry.
A trig function is one that relates the lengths of the sides of a right triangle to one of its angle measures. In
this lesson, we’ll explore the three basic trig functions: sine, cosine, and tangent.
The sine of an angle is the ratio of the length of the leg opposite the angle to the length of the
hypotenuse.
The cosine of an angle is the ratio of the length of the leg adjacent to the angle to the length of the
hypotenuse.
The tangent of an angle is the ratio of the length of the leg opposite the angle to the side adjacent to the
angle.
Below are a few example problems. While these examples do include solutions using calculators, please
note that no calculators will be permitted during the ABCTE certification exam. All of the problems on the
certification exam will be able to be solved without the use of a calculator.
Example 1: The base of this right triangle is 10 in. long. What is its height, h?
