Where do the circular trigonometric functions (such as sine and cosine) come from? I am not asking for their definitions. I am asking for their names. Where does the word "sine" come from?
I have heard they have Arabic origins but I am not sure.
2006-08-25 07:20:04 · 4 answers · asked by The Prince 6 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Mathematics
it is arab:
The terms sine, secant, and tangent were originally chosen by Arab mathematicians because of the position of the segments of these lengths in this unit circle.
http://www.algebralab.org/lessons/lesson.aspx?file=Trigonometry_TrigNameOrigins.xml
2006-08-25 08:07:31 · answer #1 · answered by David F 2 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Sine: [Origin: 1585–95; < NL, L sinus a curve, fold, pocket, trans. of Ar jayb lit., pocket, by folk etym. < Skt jiyā, jyā chord of an arc, lit., bowstring]
Cosine: [Origin: 1625–35; < NL cosinus. See co-, sine]
Tangent: [Origin: 1585–90; < L tangent- (s. of tangēns, prp. of tangere to touch) in phrase līnea tangēns touching line; see -ent]
2006-08-25 07:29:14 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Gutentag, Kaiser.
It is from the Latin, sinus, to fold in a garment, bend, curve.
sine :trigonometric function, 1593 (in Thomas Fale's "Horologiographia, the Art of Dialling"), from L. sinus "fold in a garment, bend, curve." Used by Gherardo of Cremona c.1150 in M.L. translation of Arabic geometrical text to render Arabic jiba "chord of an arc, sine" (from Skt. jiva "bowstring"), which he confused with jaib "bundle, bosom, fold in a garment."
2006-08-25 07:27:26 · answer #3 · answered by djk 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
This is from www.thefreedictionary.com Latin from Arabic so you were pretty close.
[Medieval Latin sinus (mistranslation of Arabic jayb, sine, as if jayb, fold in a garment), from Latin, curve, fold.]
2006-08-25 07:28:31 · answer #4 · answered by bill_72_99 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋