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PLANE TRIGONOMETRY

CHAPTER I

RECTANGULAR COORDINATES AND ANGLES

1. Introduction. The word trigonometry is derived from the two Greek words for triangle (rpíywvov) and measurement (μerpía). Originally trigonometry was concerned chiefly with the solution of triangles. At present this is but one part of the subject.

Certain preliminary considerations, concerning directed lines and angles, are necessary before introducing the fundamental definitions of trigonometry.

RECTANGULAR COORDINATES

2. Directed lines. A positive and a negative direction. may be assigned arbitrarily to every line.

If the direction from A to C is positive, the opposite direction from C to A is negative.

If we let the order of the let

ters indicate the direction in

A

C

which a segment is measured, it is evident that AC and CA represent the same segment measured in opposite directions; hence

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Also, if B be a third point on the line, the segments AB and BA are opposite in sign; likewise the segments BC and CB.

and

Hence

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