cosine function

cosine function

[′kō‚sīn ‚fəŋk·shən] (mathematics) In a right triangle with an angle θ, the cosine function gives the ratio of adjacent side to hypotenuse; more generally, it is the function which assigns to any real number θ the abscissa of the point on the unit circle obtained by moving from (1,0) counterclockwise θ units along the circle, or clockwise |θ| units if θ is less than 0. Denoted cos.