Trigonometric Functions
Trigonometry connects angles to ratios. sin(x)returns the ratio of the opposite side to the hypotenuse in a right triangle. At 30 degrees (0.5236 radians), sin = 0.5, cos = 0.866, tan = 0.577. This calculator uses radians by default (as does JavaScript's Math library). To convert degrees to radians, multiply by pi/180. The classic identity sin²(x) + cos²(x) = 1 holds for all values and is the foundation of countless engineering calculations from signal processing to orbital mechanics.