Trigonometry without sines cosines or tangents?

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    Trigonometry
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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the concept of trigonometry without the traditional functions of sine, cosine, and tangent, as proposed by Dr. Norman Wildberger. Participants explore the implications of this approach, its validity, and its comparison to classical trigonometry.

Discussion Character

  • Debate/contested
  • Technical explanation
  • Conceptual clarification

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants express skepticism about the novelty of the proposed method, suggesting it is not fundamentally different from classical trigonometry.
  • Others argue that the claims of superiority over classical trigonometry are unfounded and that classical trigonometry has been proven correct.
  • A participant mentions that the mathematics itself is not nonsensical but critiques the framing of the new approach as revolutionary.
  • There is a concern about the use of sine, cosine, and tangent in the new method without proper acknowledgment.
  • Some participants find the approach to be silly rather than nonsensical, indicating a spectrum of opinion on its validity.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally disagree on the validity and novelty of the proposed trigonometric approach, with multiple competing views regarding its implications and correctness.

Contextual Notes

Some participants note that the discussion lacks clarity on the definitions and assumptions underlying the new approach, which may affect its acceptance.

MaxS
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I want tell you that the people wo creat that page really know how important colors play their roles in web-surfers' eyes. Simple but good looking.
But I don't find it fun at all, perhaps because I am not well today.
 
lol damn =\
 
Damn it like the Hoover Dam, V shoty, V!
 
I just saw that. Here is a pdf explaining the technique:

http://web.maths.unsw.edu.au.nyud.n...rs/Chapter1.pdf
How sneeky of him to sneek in sine, cosine, tanjent and not referencing them in his concept :D
 
Last edited by a moderator:
To be fair, the mathematics is not nonsense: it's the suggestions that this is a new thing, and that it's clearly superior to classical trigonometry.
 
Once you learn the five main rules of rational trigonometry and how to simply apply them, you realize that classical trigonometry represents a misunderstanding of geometry.
What irks me most is this quote. "Classical trigonometry" has been thoroughly proven correct, and he acts like it is wrong. What he's done is not a new thing: he's just using a few changes of variables.
 
Hurkyl said:
To be fair, the mathematics is not nonsense: it's the suggestions that this is a new thing, and that it's clearly superior to classical trigonometry.
I stand corrected; I should have called it "silly" instead.
There's a big difference between a correct, but silly approach and a nonsensical approach.
 
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  • #10
Mathematics students have cause to celebrate. A University of New South Wales academic, Dr Norman Wildberger, has rewritten the arcane rules of trigonometry and eliminated sines, cosines and tangents from the trigonometric toolkit.

I'd have thought that this idea is so bad that it could only have come from the American educational system, but lookee there I was wrong.
 

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