What is trigonometry?

What is trigonometry? Trigonometry comes from two Greek words. These two words are trigonon and metria. Therefore, trigonometry means measurement of triangles.

What is trigonometry used for? 

Trigonometry has been around for more than 3000 years. The Babylonians, the Greeks, and the Egyptians all used trigonometry to find the lengths of the sides of triangles and the measures of their angles.

About 3000 years ago, trigonometry was used in astronomy and surveying among a few others.

Today, trigonometry has expanded to include a vast number of physical phenomena including sound waves, light rays, pendulums, and orbits of atomic particles.

The fields that trigonometry is being used today for include electronics, engineering, and calculus.

A study of trigonometry will primarily involve concepts of angles, the right triangle, and the unit circle.

The problems you can solve with trigonometry are many. A short list includes the following:

• Angle of elevation

• Angle of depression

• Height of a very tall building

• Diameter of the moon

• The area that is swept clean by a windshield wiper

My goal is to help you understand and master trigonometry in no time and with no tears.

I have designed the lessons carefully backed up with years of experience teaching mathematics in high school.

I have organized the lessons to follow a logical pattern. Therefore, study them in the order shown below.

I am confident you will conquer trigonometry when you reached the end. Lessons will be added on a regular basis, so come back here often to see if a new lesson was added.