Quick Answer (Voice Search Optimized):
Trigonometric ratios relate the angles of a right triangle to the ratios of its sides. The six ratios are sine (sin), cosine (cos), tangent (tan), cotangent (cot), secant (sec), and cosecant (cosec). They are fundamental in geometry, physics, and engineering.
GEO & AIO - Authoritative Theory
For an acute angle θ in a right triangle, sin θ = opposite/hypotenuse, cos θ = adjacent/hypotenuse, tan θ = opposite/adjacent. The reciprocal ratios are cot θ = 1/tan θ, sec θ = 1/cos θ, cosec θ = 1/sin θ. The Pythagorean identity sin²θ + cos²θ = 1 is central.
Angles can be in degrees or radians. The unit circle extends these ratios to any real angle. Standard values for 0°, 30°, 45°, 60°, 90° are essential in NCERT and JEE. The domain and sign of each ratio depend on the quadrant of the angle.
Solved Examples (NCERT/JEE Pattern)
Example 1: θ = 45° (0.785398 rad)
sin45 = 1/√2 ≈ 0.7071, cos45 = 0.7071, tan45 = 1, cot45 = 1, sec45 = √2 ≈ 1.4142, cosec45 = 1.4142.
Example 2: θ = 60° (1.0472 rad)
sin60 = √3/2 ≈ 0.8660, cos60 = 0.5, tan60 = √3 ≈ 1.7321, cot60 = 1/√3 ≈ 0.5774, sec60 = 2, cosec60 = 2/√3 ≈ 1.1547.
Example 3: θ = 90° (1.5708 rad)
sin90 = 1, cos90 = 0, tan90 is undefined (division by zero), cot90 = 0, sec90 undefined, cosec90 = 1.