# sohcahtoa

Let $\theta$ be an acute angle and fix a right triangle having $\theta$ as one of its angles. The trigonometric functions $\sin\theta$, $\cos\theta$, and $\tan\theta$ can be defined as:

 $\sin\theta=\frac{\text{opposite}}{\text{hypotenuse}}$
 $\cos\theta=\frac{\text{adjacent}}{\text{hypotenuse}}$
 $\tan\theta=\frac{\text{opposite}}{\text{adjacent}}$

A mnemonic device for remembering the three given above is .

The sohcahtoa can be divided up into three portions of three letters each. The first portion, soh, should recall to memory that $\sin\theta$ is opposite over hypotenuse; the second portion, cah, should recall to memory that $\cos\theta$ is adjacent over hypotenuse; and the third portion, toa, should recall to memory that $\tan\theta$ is opposite over adjacent.

I would like to thank Mrs. Sue Millikin for teaching me trigonometric functions using this mnemonic device.

Title sohcahtoa Sohcahtoa 2013-03-22 15:59:23 2013-03-22 15:59:23 Wkbj79 (1863) Wkbj79 (1863) 13 Wkbj79 (1863) Definition msc 97D40 msc 51-01 Adjacent2 Opposite2 Hypotenuse Trigonometry