How to Graph the Secant Function?
Understanding Secant as the Reciprocal of Cosine The secant function, written \(\sec(x)\), is defined as \(\sec(x) = \frac{1}{\cos(x)}\). This reciprocal relationship is the key to understanding how to graph secant. Wherever cosine is positive, secant is positive; wherever cosine is negative, secant is negative. Most importantly, wherever cosine is zero, secant is undefined and has […]
How to Use the Law of Cosines to Find Angle Measure?
TL;DR: Here is when the Law of Cosines saves you: you know the lengths of all three sides of a triangle, and you want to find an angle. Plug into c-squared equals a-squared plus b-squared minus 2ab cosine C, rearrange so cosine C is alone, and one inverse-cosine button later you’ve got the angle. It […]
