THHS Giancarlo Frank

Algebra 2 Band 6 11/29/10

Abu al-Wafa al-Buzjani and the Tangent Function

Born in the year 940 CE, Abu al-Wafa al-Buzjani (extended name: Muhammad

ibn Muhammad ibn Yahya ibn Isma'il ibn al'Abbas Abu al-Wafa al-Buzajani) contributed

greatly to the area of trigonometry. He is credited for introducing the secant and cosecant

functions, computing sine tables, and calculating tangent and cotangent tables. Although

he developed most of these as aids to his practice of astronomy, we continue to use these

functions and tables today in our studies of trigonometry.

Abu al-Wafa was also credited with the first use of the tangent function. In a right

triangle, the tangent (tan) is the ratio formed when the side opposite an acute angle is

divided by the adjacent side of that same angle. This means that, in ΔABC, tanA=a/b, and

tanB=b/a. To use the tangent function, you must at least know the lengths of a and b

(after this, c can be found using the Pythagorean Theorem). After knowing both of those

components, the tangent function can be used to find the tangent of either acute angle.

Since the tangent of the angle is equal to the opposite length divided by the adjacent one,

measurement of the angle itself is equal to the inverse tangent of the aforementioned

ratio. If you have the measurement of the angle, you can solve for a using a=b(tanΘ) or, if

you are solving for b, b=a/tanΘ. In the following example, we can use the tangent

function to solve for tanΘ and Θ of ΔABC, when the side lengths of said triangle are 3,

4,and 5 respectively:
Thanks to Abu al-Wafa’s development of the tangent and sine function tables, it is easier

to find the tangent of an angle measurement. Using a trigonometric function table is

simple; once you are given the angle measurement, find that measurement in the table.

Beside that number is the sine, cosine, and tangent of that number. Although the

trigonometric functions table was an important tool in Abu al-Wafa’s time,use of the

tables have mostly been replaced by the use of calculators that can instantly produce the

same answers.

An example of these tables is shown below.

To find the tangent of 52, for instance, find the row that contains 52, and move to the

first Tangent column that is to the right of that number. After this, we see that

tan521.2799.

Although most of Abu al-Wafa’s written works are now lost, the contributions

that he made towards trigonometry still provide many benefits for us today. His

discoveries have greatly expanded the field of right triangles and trigonometric

functions. Through his work of trigonometric functions, he was able to expand upon the

works of Pythagoras, and attain a position among the greatest mathmeticians in history.
 Bibliography Gale, Thomas. "Abu Al-Wafa Summary

1)BookRags.com." BookRags.com | Study Guides, Lesson Plans, Book Summaries and

More. Web. 22 Nov. 2010. <http://www.bookrags.com/research/abu-al-wafa-scit-

02123/>.

2)"Right Triangle Trigonometry Part 3." HubPages. Web. 22 Nov. 2010.

<http://hubpages.com/hub/right-triangle-trigonometry-part-3>.

3)"Trigonometry: Tables of Trigonometric Functions - CliffsNotes." Get Homework

Help with CliffsNotes Study Guides - CliffsNotes. Web. 22 Nov. 2010.

<http://www.cliffsnotes.com/study_guide/Tables-of-Trigonometric-

Functions.topicArticleId-11658,articleId-11565.html>.

4)Weisstein, Eric. "Tangent -- from Wolfram MathWorld." Wolfram MathWorld: The

Web's Most Extensive Mathematics Resource. Web. 22 Nov. 2010.

<http://mathworld.wolfram.com/Tangent.html>.