Triangle The acronym "SOH-CAH-TOA" is a useful mnemonic for these ratios. The inverse trigonometric functions can be used to calculate the internal angles for a right angled triangle with the length of any two sides. Arcsin can be used to calculate an angle from the length of the opposite side and the length of the hypotenuse. Arccos can be used to calculate an angle from the length of the adjacent side and the length of the hypotenuse. Arctan can be used to calculate an angle from the length of the opposite side and the length of the adjacent side. In introductory
Triangle inequality angles satisfy: Therefore, and so, in particular, That means side opposite angle is shorter than side opposite the larger angle . But . Hence: A similar construction shows , establishing the theorem. An alternative proof (also based upon the triangle postulate) proceeds by considering three positions for point : (i) as depicted (which is to be proven), or (ii) coincident with (which would mean the isosceles triangle had two right angles as base angles plus the vertex angle , which would violate the triangle postulate), or lastly, (iii) interior to the right triangle between points and (in which case angle