Trigonometry
Varsity Tutors offers Trigonometry tutoring in St. Louis, Chicago and Houston. We'll help you gain a strong understanding of the material through one-on-one tutoring at your home, a library, a café or anywhere that might convenient for you. Your Trigonometry tutor will work with you to identify any trouble areas, encourage you to develop your strengths, and teach you how to succeed in Trigonometry, so that you can appreciate this fascinating subject to the fullest and do well on your Trigonometry exams.
What is Trigonometry?
Trigonometry (or "triangle measurement") is the branch of mathematics which studies 1) the relationships between the sides and angles of triangles (particularly right triangles) and 2) the properties of trigonometric functions, which calculate those relationships.
Important trigonometry concepts include degree, radian, and the Pythagorean theorem (c2 = a2 + b2). The six trigonometric functions taught to beginning students are sine, cosine, tangent, cotangent, secant, and cosecant.
If any of this sounds confusing, don't worry. Your one-on-one Trigonometry tutoring from Varsity Tutors will ensure that you don't get left behind. With the help of an experienced Trigonometry tutor, you can not only "get it," you can enjoy Trig, as well!
Why study Trigonometry?
One exciting reason to study Trigonometry (or "Trig," for short) is to fully appreciate how important one little geometric shape has been to the advancement of human knowledge. Take the field of astronomy, for instance. One of Trigonometry's first contributions to astronomy was made when Aristarchus of Samos (310 to 230 BC), using only the properties of right triangles and the shadows made by eclipses, calculated the size of the sun and determined its distance from Earth. When you think about it, that's an amazing accomplishment for someone who lived thousands of years before the invention of the calculator, the computer, or even the telescope. That is the power of the right triangle! Our experienced Trigonometry tutors will introduce you to the properties of this amazingly useful geometric shape.
As you can guess, over time, the usefulness of Trig spread beyond Astronomy as applications for Trig were discovered in other fields. For example, since Trig provides a good method for calculating long distances, it was very useful to early cultures in land surveying and navigation, which allowed them to develop their trade networks, as well as to map the earth and explore the seas. Trigonometry also allowed early engineers and builders to measure angles with greater precision, which paved the way for the invention of better tools and buildings. These are only a few ways Trig has had an impact on the course of human development.
Although Trig is still used for these purposes today, Trig has become very important to modern society in other ways. For example, a new form of Trig is able to model repeating phenomena (such as trends in the stock market) and motion (including the motion of light, radio, and sound waves). This form of Trig is very important in a wide range of fields (such as climatology, optics, acoustics, seismology, oceanography, biology, chemistry, electrical engineering, computer graphics, and even music theory) and has led to discoveries which have advanced science and technology, including the Internet. For example, a powerful trig-related calculation called the Fourier series helped mathematicians figure out how to compress images so they are small enough to send over telephone lines. Which means, if you've ever downloaded a photo attached to an email, you've directly benefited from someone's knowledge of Trig! As you can see, strong Trig skills are necessary for a variety of fields. Tutoring from an experienced Trigonometry tutor from Varsity Tutors is an excellent way to ensure that your Trig skills enable you to enter one of these and other exciting fields.
Other reasons to study Trigonometry include everyday uses, such as measuring the distance across a river (if you like to camp or canoe) or determining how high something is, such as a flag or a kite. Your Trig tutor from Varsity Tutors can show you how Trig can be used in these situations so that you can see Trig's usefulness in everyday life.
And, of course, since Trig is used everywhere throughout mathematics--from linear algebra to statistics--Trig is a prerequisite for further studies in math, including calculus. As you can guess, if you're planning on entering a field which requires advanced mathematical or scientific knowledge, you'll want your Trig skills to be sound. One fun and efficient way to ensure that you truly understand Trig is to refine your skills with an experienced Trigonometry tutor like those from Varsity Tutors.
You may have heard that Trig is really difficult, but is it really? Some students find Trig to be a difficult subject, but other students find it one of their easiest. Why? Because a lot of Trig depends on the ability to memorize six formulas (the six trigonometric functions): sine, cosine, tangent, cotangent, secant, and cosecant. At first, this may seem like a lot to digest, especially since these functions may not look like anything you've seen before in Geometry or Algebra.
But, when you think about it, memorizing six equations isn't that hard. Think about it this way: If you're taking a foreign language class right now, you memorize more than six words for that class a day! And, to make it even easier, three of those functions are just "1" over one of the other functions, i.e. "cosine" is just "1/sine." Your tutor can explain this in greater detail, help you make flashcards, run drills with you, administer practice tests, and much more, so that the memorization process is as easy and fast as possible. So, don't let yourself get intimidated before you even begin. With a little determination, the right tutor, and a few flash cards, you can handle Trig!
Call us today to find out more about our Trigonometry tutors.
Additional Information
Trigonometry Made Easy (trig links)
Basics of Trigonometry (trig in real world)
Paul's Online Math Notes: Algebra/Trig Review
An Introduction to Trigonometry
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