Having trouble remembering cot, sec, csc trigonometric functions. Suggestions?

Question

I know cot = 1/tan, but the rest just boggle me unless I have a cheatsheet in front of me. :(

What do you use to remember them?
Another form of SOHCAHTOA?

Answer 1

1) The most important trig functions are sin(x) and cos(x).
sin(x) represents the sine function.
cos(x) represents the cosine function.

2) The other functions can all be written in terms of
the sin(x) and cos(x).

3) Namely, all you need to remember is:
tan(x) represents the tangent function sin(x)/cos(x).
csc(x) represents the cosecant function 1/sin(x).
sec(x) represents the secant function 1/cos(x).
cot(x) represents the cotangent function cos(x)/sin(x).

4) So when manipulating expressions involving trig functions,
you can rewrite them in terms of sin(x) and cos(x) and then
reduce terms using regular algebra operations. At the end
if you like, you may then convert them back into the other
functions if it simplifies things.

Answer 2

tan ? = -2, 3?/2 < ? <2? ? is in Quadrand IV. So at times it is way less complicated to make a outstanding triangle in Q IV with ? popular at beginning. opposite area is -2. adjoining area is a million. Hypotenuse is sq. root 5 Sin = -2/sq. root 5. Cos = a million/sq. root 5 sec, csc and cot, in simple terms discover the reciprocals of cos, sin and tan respectively.

Answer 3

Check this out:
http://www.pballew.net/magichex.htm

or do a search for "trigonometric hexagon"

Note: where you put the trig functions on the hexagon matters!

And by the way, the "co-" part of a trig name is related to the identities
cos(90-x) = sin(x)
csc(90-x) = sec(x)
cot(90-x) = tan (x)

and has nothing to do with reciprocals. It just so happens that cot(x)=1/tan(x), but this isn't the case for the other "co-" functions (i.e. csc(x) isn't 1/sec(x) and cos(x) isn't 1/sin(x)).

Answer 4

okay well you use SOHCAHTOA to figure out what your tan, cos, and sin are. and then just remember. cot is 1/tan because Cotangent and tangent, theyre almost the same. and then cosecant is 1/ sin. and secant is 1/ cosine. These are 1 over the opposite sounding one, because it would seem like cosecant over cosine, but its not. its the opposite. cosecant is 1/ sin, etc.

Answer 5

In words:-
sec is 1 over cos
cosec is 1 over sin
cot is 1 over tan

sec θ = 1 / cos θ
cosec θ = 1 sin θ
cot θ = 1 / tan θ

Answer 6

CHOSHACAO
csc=hypotonuse/opposite
sec=hypotenuse/adjacent
cot=adjacent/opposite

Answer 7

sec = 1/cos
csc = 1/sin

just the opposite of what might make sense.

Answer 8

SCaT:
Oh Hell, Another Hour, Of Algebra

S: O/H C:A/H T:O/A

Has the benefit of telling you where the H's are. :)