# Thread: Do you remember trig functions?

1. ## Do you remember trig functions?

Just a quick question to those who seriously study mathematics:

Do you remember all the trig functions or did you just learn them and then google them whenever you need to use them? It seems pretty overwhelming to remember all these functions but with the calculus I'm doing, I seem to run into them A LOT so I was wondering if maybe people actually memorized them all?

Thanks.

2. ## Re: Do you remember trig functions?

Every time we use these remember the definition as well as the other properties you can remember. In a short period you will just remember the trig ratios.

3. ## Re: Do you remember trig functions?

Do you mean that if I learn the definitions, I will automatically remember them due to the logical connection?

4. ## Re: Do you remember trig functions?

I'm not sure what you mean by "remembering trigonometric functions". Do you mean trying to remember trigonometric identities? I really only remember the Pythagorean Identity, double angle identity and the addition/subtraction of angles identities. The rest I look up or derive from these...

5. ## Re: Do you remember trig functions?

Whenever we try to understand a concept we remember it and if we try and learn by rote memory we tend to forget it.

6. ## Re: Do you remember trig functions?

I remember most of the identities after years of using them. I don't use sum to product or product to sum identities that much so I don't know them.

7. ## Re: Do you remember trig functions?

If by "remember trig functions" you mean memorizing the definition of sine, cosine, tangent, cotangent, secant and cosecant - yes, you should memorize them. Also as others have suggested it's very heklpful to memorize identities for sin(a+b) and cos(a+b), and also sin^2x + cos^2x =1.