Word
cosine
Phoneticsco·sine
UK/kˈəʊsaɪn/
Definition
n. a mathematical value used to find the lengths and angles of triangles. It compares the side next to an angle with the longest side of a right-angled triangle.
n. the ratio of the side adjacent to a given angle to the hypotenuse in a right-angled triangle. It is a fundamental trigonometric function that oscillates between -1 and 1.
Examples
“You need to calculate the cosine of the angle to find the distance.”
“In the physics lab, students used the cosine of the launch angle to determine the horizontal component of the projectile's velocity.”
“The wave's amplitude is modeled using a cosine function, which accurately represents the periodic nature of the oscillation over a specific time interval.”
Examples
simple
“You need to calculate the cosine of the angle to find the distance.”
contextual
“In the physics lab, students used the cosine of the launch angle to determine the horizontal component of the projectile's velocity.”
complex
“The wave's amplitude is modeled using a cosine function, which accurately represents the periodic nature of the oscillation over a specific time interval.”
Usage
Often abbreviated as 'cos' in mathematical notation and formulas.
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/cosine