Can someone break down the meaning of sin, tan, and cos into simpler more understandable terms?
no. They are just ratios in a right triangle. Review your text, where I'm sure it is explained clearly. Google is your friend.
Try remembering SOH CAH TOA
Certainly! The terms sin, cos, and tan are trigonometric functions that are used to describe the relationships between the angles and sides of a right triangle. Here's a breakdown of each function:
1. Sin (Sine):
The sine of an angle in a right triangle is defined as the ratio of the length of the side opposite the angle to the length of the hypotenuse (the longest side). Simply put, it tells you how tall you would be if you were standing on a ladder leaning against the triangle. The sine function is represented as sin(θ).
2. Cos (Cosine):
The cosine of an angle in a right triangle is defined as the ratio of the length of the adjacent side to the length of the hypotenuse. It describes how far away you would be from the triangle if you were standing on the ground and looking up at the angle. The cosine function is represented as cos(θ).
3. Tan (Tangent):
The tangent of an angle in a right triangle is defined as the ratio of the length of the side opposite the angle to the length of the side adjacent to the angle. It represents the steepness of the ladder or ramp that you would need to climb to reach the angle. The tangent function is represented as tan(θ).
To recap, sin tells you how tall you would be, cos tells you how far away you are, and tan tells you the steepness of the pathway to your target angle. These functions are fundamental in trigonometry and are used to solve a wide range of mathematical and real-world problems involving angles and triangles.