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The trigonometric functions most widely used in modern mathematics are the sine, the cosine, and the tangent functions. Their reciprocals are respectively the cosecant, the secant, and the cotangent functions, which are less used.
We can graph \(y=\cot x\) by observing the graph of the tangent function because these two functions are reciprocals of one another. See Figure \(\PageIndex{8}\). Where the graph of the tangent function decreases, the graph of the cotangent function increases.
For certain values of x, the tangent, cotangent, secant and cosecant curves are not defined, and so there is a gap in the curve. [For more on this topic, go to Continuous and Discontinuous Functions in an earlier chapter.] Recall from Trigonometric Functions, that `tan x` is defined as: `tan x=(sin x)/(cos x)`
The three main functions in trigonometry are Sine, Cosine and Tangent. They are just the length of one side divided by another. For a right triangle with an angle θ : Sine Function: sin (θ) = Opposite / Hypotenuse. Cosine Function: cos (θ) = Adjacent / Hypotenuse. Tangent Function: tan (θ) = Opposite / Adjacent.
y = csc x. Note: The U shapes of the cosecant graph are tangent to its reciprocal function, sine, at sine's max and min locations. Secant Function: y = sec x
There are six trigonometric functions: sine, cosine, tangent and their reciprocals cosecant, secant, and cotangent, respectively. Sine, cosine, and tangent are the most widely used trigonometric functions.
The reciprocal sine function is cosecant, cscθ = 1/sinθ. The reciprocal tangent function is cotangent, expressed two ways: cotθ = 1/tanθ or cotθ = cosθ/sinθ. How to define the reciprocal trigonometric functions, the reciprocal identities, and the Pythagorean identities using the unit circle?
