Mathematics A-Level
secant
What secant means in Mathematics A-Level, as defined for Pearson Edexcel.
Definition of secant
Check what you remember
Read the wording for your board, then hide it and explain secant in your own words. Rough notes are fine. This is a self-check, with no mark or grade.
Reference: Pearson Edexcel
The reciprocal of cosine, $\sec x=1/\cos x$; it is undefined where $\cos x=0$.
Topics that use secant
- Trigonometry (Pearson Edexcel A-Level)
Related terms
- Arcsin, arccos and arctan
- area of a triangle
- Asymptotes
- Domain
- Domains of reciprocal functions
- Equations involving multiples of the unknown angle
- Exact values
- Fundamental trigonometric identities
Using secant in the exam
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