# Math Help - Trig help.

1. ## Trig help.

I know the title is a bit, undiscripive...but I did not know what to call this.

The property:
$\textrm{sin}^2\theta+\textrm{cos}^2\theta=1$
makes little since to me.
(I know waves in physics, not algebra)

I know that the two waves are out of phase and cause destructive interference (wave cancellation)

But, the two waves should cancel at equilibrium (where the cos & sin waves meet ~the nods~). High presser+low presser=medium pressure (equilibrium)

The peak for both $sin^2\theta$ and $cos^2\theta$ is at one, and the trough for both is at 0.
So why not : $sin^2\theta+cos^2\theta=\frac{1}{2}$

2. Originally Posted by integral
I know the title is a bit, undiscripive...but I did not know what to call this.

The property:
$\textrm{sin}^2\theta+\textrm{cos}^2\theta=1$
makes little since to me.
(I know waves in physics, not algebra)

I know that the two waves are out of phase and cause destructive interference (wave cancellation)

But, the two waves should cancel at equilibrium (where the cos & sin waves meet ~the nods~). High presser+low presser=medium pressure (equilibrium)

The peak for both $sin^2\theta$ and $cos^2\theta$ is at one, and the trough for both is at 0.
So why not : $sin^2\theta+cos^2\theta=\frac{1}{2}$
well I don't know physics but the $sin^2\theta + cos^2\theta = 1$
is an identity using a unit circle where 1 is the hypotenuse or radius that is fixed

3. Hi integral,

they only ever meet "half-way", so they always add to 1.