What is the trigonometric function defined as hypotenuse/adjacent?

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The trigonometric function defined as the ratio of the length of the hypotenuse to the length of the adjacent side in a right triangle is called secant. In a right triangle, the secant of an angle is specifically related to the cosine function, as secant is the reciprocal of cosine. Therefore, if you have an angle θ, the secant of θ is expressed as:

sec(θ) = hypotenuse / adjacent

This relationship indicates that for any right triangle, the secant function directly represents this ratio, distinguishing it from other trigonometric functions. The other functions mentioned have different definitions: cosine is adjacent/hypotenuse, tangent is opposite/adjacent, and cosecant is hypotenuse/opposite. Understanding these definitions helps clarify how each function is used in trigonometry and geometry, particularly in contexts involving right triangles.

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