Question

What are the 6 basic trigonometric functions?

Answer 1

These are all derived from the ratio's in a (right-angled) triangle.

If we divide the length of a side by the length of another side, we have a trigonometric function.

Lets take `angle A`. Then there are six possible combinations for this division (`h`, `a` and `b` are the sides)

sine : `sin A=a//h`
cosine : `cos A=b//h`
tangent : `tanA=a//b`

These three are called the basic functions.
You will find them on most calculators.

Note that: `sinA/cosA=(a//h)/(b//h)=a/b=tanA`

The other three are:
cosecant : `cscA=h//a=1/sinA`

secant : `secA=h//b=1/cosA`

cotangent : `ctgA=b//a=1/tanA`

Normally these are not on a calculator, as they are easy to get from the other three.

(picture from Wikipedia) **