We define the side of the triangle opposite from the right angle to be the hypotenuse. If we know the value of c, we then know that the value of d: 90 + c + d = 180 d = 180 – 90 – c d = 90 – c The sum of the angles of any triangle is equal to 180 degrees. We pick one of the two remaining angles and label it c and the third angle we label d.
A 90 degree angle is called a right angle which gives the right triangle its name.
A right triangle is a three sided figure with one angle equal to 90 degrees. Let us begin with some definitions and terminology which we use on this slide. The words are a bit strange, but the ideas are very powerful as you will see. It contains nothing more than definitions. If you understand the idea of ratios, one variable divided by another variable, you should be able to understand this page. We are going to limit ourselves to the very basics which are used in the study of airplanes. There are many complex parts to trigonometry and we aren’t going there. Most people are introduced to trigonometry in high school, but for the elementary and middle school students, or the mathematically-challenged: DON’T PANIC! To better understand what the Wright Brothers accomplished and how they did it, it is necessary to use some mathematical ideas from trigonometry, the study of triangles. Home > Beginners Guide to Aeronautics Sine-Cosine-Tangent
