Trigonometric functions example) and another of the sides remains the same. If the hypotenuse is twice as long, so are the sides. It is these ratios that the trigonometric functions express. To define the trigonometric functions for the angle "A", start with any right triangle that contains the angle "A". The three sides of the triangle are named as follows: In ordinary Euclidean geometry, according to the triangle postulate, the inside angles of every triangle total 180° ( radians). Therefore, in a right-angled triangle, the two non-right angles total 90° ( radians), so each of these angles must be in the range
Ailles rectangle between the two, with sides of lengths 2, 2 and (by the Pythagorean theorem) 2. The remaining space at the top of the rectangle is a right triangle with small angles of 15° and 75°. and sides of − 1, + 1 and 2. From the construction of the rectangle, it follows that and An alternative construction (also by Ailles) places a 30°–60°–90° triangle in the middle, flanked by two 45°–45°–90° triangles in the lower corners. The lower-left triangle has sides of 1, 1, and , while the lower-right triangle has sides of , , and . The 30°–60°–90° triangle