spherical trigonometry
- noun
- /ˈsfɪrɪkəl ˌtraɪɡəˈnɑːmətri/
- Specialized
:
trigonometría esférica
- In navigation, spherical trigonometry helps sailors determine their routes across the ocean.
Examples
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Many problems in astronomy require knowledge of spherical trigonometry to understand celestial mechanics.
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Calculating distances on a sphere often involves spherical trigonometry to find accurate results.
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But yeah, spherical trigonometry, the forgotten math subject.
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And we said that on in spherical trigonometry, the measure of the length of the arc separating A&B is given by the angle subtended at the centre.
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning is directly and transparently derived from combining 'spherical' (relating to a sphere) with 'trigonometry' (the study of triangle relationships): it denotes the study of trigonometry on spherical triangles. This compositional noun–noun formation is regular in English and mirrored in many languages, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents will readily infer the meaning.
Etymology
Spherical trigonometry comes from drawing triangles on a sphere, a round shape like the Earth or the sky, where straight lines act differently than on flat ground. That's why it means the 'study of triangles on a round surface' and is used by sailors and astronomers to find positions and angles.
