Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
cotangent

cotangent

1 9.7
A number from dividing the side next to an angle by the side opposite it in a right triangle
  • noun
  • /koʊˈtænʤənt/
  • Specialized
translation icon : cotangente
  • When studying trigonometry, understanding the cotangent function is essential for solving various problems involving angles.

And then we have the cotangent of T.

Autoplay Next

Examples

  • So this is equal to negative cotangent Theta.

  • So we can replace cotangent with one over tangent Theta.

  • Remember from the quotient identity, cosine over sine is cotangent, so we'll get cotangent squared Theta.

  • In a right-angled triangle, the cotangent of an angle is the ratio of the length of the adjacent side to the length of the opposite side.

  • To find the cotangent of an angle, you divide the length of the adjacent side by the length of the opposite side.

Synonyms

cotan
vscotangent
  • Specialized
9.9

A number found by dividing the side next to an angle by the side opposite it in a right triangle

is the same concept but usually presented as the full formal term
ctg
vscotangent
  • Specialized
9.9

A math function that divides the side next to an angle by the side opposite it

is the same ratio but written in full rather than abbreviated

Compounds

cotangent curve
  • Specialized
9.2

A graph showing the cotangent function, repeating every pi and with vertical lines it never reaches

arc cotangent
  • Specialized
9.9

An angle whose cotangent equals a given number

inverse cotangent
  • Specialized
9.9

An angle whose cotangent is a given number

Surface Forms

cotangent singular
cotangents plural

Morphology

cotangent = tangent (semi-transparent) = co + tangent + tan

The prefix 'co-' suggests a relationship or complement, but the specific trigonometric meaning requires specialized knowledge.

Etymology

The word cotangent comes from co- meaning 'with', as in coworker, and tangent, from a root meaning 'to touch', like a line that 'touches' a circle. In early maths the co- showed a tangent that was the 'paired' or 'other' tangent, and this became the tangent's partner that works the opposite way. So cotangent now means the trigonometric ratio of the adjacent side to the opposite side.