MAT 140 Milestone One.docx - MAT 140 Milestone One: First...

MAT 140 Milestone One: First Practice Problem Walkthrough
Christina Little
Southern New Hampshire University

Problem Statement
Given the following right triangle, find cosθ, sinθ, tanθ, secθ, cscθ, and cotθ. Do not
approximate: Find exact answers. Show all of your work and explain steps as necessary.
Context
The problem requires the identification of the exact values of the six trigonometric
functions related to θ (theta) based on the given measurements of the right triangle. There are
several components to consider
○ Right triangle : A triangle where one angle is 90°. Its three sides consist of the
hypotonus which is opposite the right angle and two legs.
leg
hypotenuse
leg

○ Trigonometric Functions & Ratios: Sine, cosine, tangent, cotangent, secant, and
cosecant are the six trigonometric functions and are abbreviated respectively as
sin, soc, tan, cot, sec, and csc. The values of these functions related to θ are
defined using the trigonometric ratios
sin θ =
O
H
csc θ =
H
O
cos θ =
A
H
sec θ =
H
A
tan θ =
O
A