Cosecant is Reciprocal of Sine

Theorem

Let $\theta$ be an angle such that $\sin \theta \ne 0$.

Then:

$\csc \theta = \dfrac 1 {\sin \theta}$

where $\csc$ and $\sin$ mean cosecant and sine respectively.


Proof

Let a point $P = \tuple {x, y}$ be placed in a cartesian plane with origin $O$ such that $OP$ forms an angle $\theta$ with the $x$-axis.

Then:

\(\ds \csc \theta\) \(=\) \(\ds \frac r y\) Cosecant of Angle in Cartesian Plane
\(\ds \) \(=\) \(\ds \frac 1 {y / r}\)
\(\ds \) \(=\) \(\ds \frac 1 {\sin \theta}\) Sine of Angle in Cartesian Plane


When $\sin \theta = 0$, $\dfrac 1 {\sin \theta}$ is not defined.

$\blacksquare$


Sources

  • 1953: L. Harwood Clarke: A Note Book in Pure Mathematics ... (previous) ... (next): $\text V$. Trigonometry: Definitions of the ratios
  • 1968: Murray R. Spiegel: Mathematical Handbook of Formulas and Tables ... (previous) ... (next): $\S 5$: Trigonometric Functions: $5.18$
  • 1998: David Nelson: The Penguin Dictionary of Mathematics (2nd ed.) ... (previous) ... (next): trigonometric function
  • 2008: David Nelson: The Penguin Dictionary of Mathematics (4th ed.) ... (previous) ... (next): trigonometric function
  • 2014: Christopher Clapham and James Nicholson: The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Mathematics (5th ed.) ... (previous) ... (next): Appendix $12$: Trigonometric formulae
  • 2021: Richard Earl and James Nicholson: The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Mathematics (6th ed.) ... (previous) ... (next): Appendix $14$: Trigonometric formulae