Question

the ____ of an angle is the ratio of the opposite leg length to the adjacent leg length. a. tangent b. sine c. cosine

Explanation:

To determine the correct trigonometric ratio, we recall the definitions:

• Tangent of an angle in a right triangle is defined as the ratio of the length of the opposite leg to the length of the adjacent leg ($\tan\theta=\frac{\text{opposite}}{\text{adjacent}}$).
• Sine is the ratio of the opposite leg to the hypotenuse ($\sin\theta=\frac{\text{opposite}}{\text{hypotenuse}}$).
• Cosine is the ratio of the adjacent leg to the hypotenuse ($\cos\theta=\frac{\text{adjacent}}{\text{hypotenuse}}$).

Given the description in the question (ratio of opposite leg to adjacent leg), the correct term is tangent.

Answer:

A. tangent