Arccosine

/ˌɑːrkˈkoʊsin/ noun

Definition

The inverse trigonometric function that returns the angle whose cosine equals a given number.

Etymology

Compound of 'arc' (from Latin 'arcus') and 'cosine' (from 'complementary sine'). The 'arc' prefix indicates an inverse function that recovers an angle from a trigonometric ratio.

Kelly Says

Mathematicians use arccosine all the time in physics and engineering—when you need to find the angle between two forces or the direction of a vector, arccosine is your go-to function for cracking that code.

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