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Glite Dictionary
arccosine

arccosine

9.9
A function that gives the angle whose cosine equals a given number
  • noun
  • /ˌɑrˈkɔːsaɪn/
  • Specialized
translation icon : arcoseno
  • The arccosine of 0.5 is 60 degrees, since cos(60°) = 0.5.

Examples

  • To solve the equation, take the arccosine of both sides.

  • In trigonometry, arccosine is often abbreviated as arccos.

  • The arccosine of 0.5 is 60 degrees.

  • Can you calculate the arccosine of 1?

  • In trigonometry, the arccosine function helps find the angle when you know the cosine value.

  • The arccosine of 0.5 equals 60 degrees, as cos(60°) returns 0.5.

  • To determine the angle, you first need to compute the arccosine of the given cosine value.

Synonyms

arccos
vsarccosine
  • Specialized
9.9

An angle whose cosine equals a given number

is the full word form rather than a short symbol
arc cosine
vsarccosine
  • Specialized
8.8

To find the angle whose cosine equals a given number

is the single-word standard spelling used in formal notation
inverse cosine
vsarccosine
  • Specialized
8.1

An angle that has a given cosine value

is the compact technical term used in formulas and notation

Surface Forms

arccosine singular
arccosines plural

Morphology

arccosine = cosine (semi-transparent) = arc + cosine

The prefix 'arc-' forms inverse trigonometric function names in mathematics, a specialized and not generally productive English formation, so it is transparent to mathematically-aware learners but not to average learners.

Etymology

Arccosine joins arc, meaning 'part of a circle' like the curve of a rainbow, and cosine, a basic trigonometry function, so arccosine is the function that gives the 'angle' or arc that has a certain cosine value.