Elliptic geometry geometry is that the sum of the interior angles of a triangle is greater than 180 degrees. In the spherical model, for example, a triangle can be constructed with vertices at the locations where the three positive Cartesian coordinate axes intersect the sphere, and all three of its internal angles are 90 degrees, summing to 270 degrees. For sufficiently small triangles, the excess over 180 degrees can be made arbitrarily small. The Pythagorean theorem fails in elliptic geometry. In the 90°–90°–90° triangle described above, all three sides have the same length, and consequently do not satisfy formula_1. The Pythagorean result
Proofs of trigonometric identities division identity They remain valid for angles greater than 90° and for negative angles. Or Two angles whose sum is π/2 radians (90 degrees) are "complementary". In the diagram, the angles at vertices A and B are complementary, so we can exchange a and b, and change θ to π/2 − θ, obtaining: Identity 1: The following two results follow from this and the ratio identities. To obtain the first, divide both sides of formula_21 by formula_23; for the second, divide by formula_24. Similarly Identity 2: The following accounts for all three reciprocal functions. Proof 2: Refer to the triangle