Trigonometry is a subject that gives a lot of stress to children. At least once, we have all thought about what we will do in real life after studying trigonometry.
Even if a child is very knowledgeable in math, he/she may get confused in the topic of trigonometry. That is because they do not know what that subject is and how it is useful in our daily lives.
When you see the confusion of your children, you as parents must have often thought, ‘Why is trigonometry important?’.
In this blog, let’s see the importance of trigonometry, what it is, and how it is connected to our daily life.
What is trigonometry?
Trigonometry is the branch of mathematics that deals with triangles, particularly the relationships between their angles and sides.
Trigonometry answers questions like,
How tall is that building without climbing it?
How far is the boat from shore without rowing to it?
It uses functions like sine, cosine, and tangent to solve problems involving distance, height, and angles, even when you can’t measure things directly.
Want to explore more? Read our complete guide on what trigonometry is in math
How do we use trigonometry in real Life?
It is surprising to learn that trigonometry isn’t just for math teachers and rocket scientists; it is also very important in our daily lives.
Trigonometry is all around us, helping the world work. Here are some real-world applications of trigonometry that matter in daily life:
Navigation and GPS: When your phone calculates the fastest route to a place, trigonometry is at work behind it, measuring distances and angles between satellites and your location.
Architecture & Home Design: Architects use trigonometry to design roofs, rooms, and structures that are safe and beautiful. Even measuring shadows to estimate the height of a wall involves trig.
Video Games & Animation: Game designers use trigonometry to model how characters move, jump, or turn.
Music and Sound Engineering: Trigonometry helps map sound waves and speaker angles for that immersive experience.
Pilots and Sailors: Navigation by sea or air relies heavily on trigonometry. Pilots use angles to calculate descent paths. Sailors estimate distances and direction using the stars.
Importance of Trigonometry Beyond Just Triangles
It Builds Problem-Solving Skills
Trigonometry teaches students how to break down a problem, find patterns, and work through solutions logically.
It is a Tool for Other Subjects
Trigonometry is essential for understanding physics, engineering, coding, and calculus, the subjects that power today’s innovation.
It Sharpens Critical Thinking
Even just trying to understand trigonometry builds persistence and flexible thinking. It is not just about math; it is about how your child thinks.
What are some common careers that use trigonometry?
We usually expect engineers and architects to use trigonometry. But here are some more careers where trig pops up:
Animators (Disney, Pixar, game studios): Use trigonometry to model realistic motion, rotation, and perspective in animations.
Electricians and Carpenters: Apply trig to calculate angles for wiring, cutting materials, and building stable structures.
Astronomers use trigonometric calculations to measure distances between celestial bodies and track planetary motion.
Surveyors and urban planners rely on trig to measure land elevations and property boundaries and to plan roads and buildings.
Sound Designers: Use trig to shape sound waves, calculate reverb angles, and position audio sources in space.
Software Developers: Use trig in game development, simulations, graphics, and even robotics programming.
Photographers: Use trigonometry to determine the best angles for lighting, focus, and depth of field in a shot.
Trigonometry Teaches More Than Math
Apart from being a subject in math, trigonometry has a big place in the things around us. Because it is everywhere on earth, in our daily lives, in technology, and in our careers. But because we do not connect with it, we cannot directly understand its presence.
Children should first be taught the place of trigonometry in daily life. Through this, children can understand its basics and concepts.
Trigonometry is not just about triangles. It also teaches children how to measure, imagine, and solve the puzzles in life. That is why it is good for children to know the topics ‘What is trigonometry in math?’ and ‘Why is trigonometry important?’.
