Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Verified for the 2026 exam
Verified for the 2026 exam•Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Definition
Trig function is short for trigonometric function, which refers to any function involving angles within triangles. Common trig functions include sine (sin), cosine (cos), tangent (tan), cosecant (csc), secant (sec), and cotangent (cot).
Related terms
Unit Circle: A circle with a radius of 1 unit used to visualize trigonometric functions and their values.
Periodicity: The characteristic of trigonometric functions where they repeat their values in a regular pattern over a given interval.
Inverse Trig Functions: Functions that "undo" the effects of trig functions, allowing us to find angles using ratios instead.