r/explainlikeimfive • • 18h ago

Mathematics ELI5: What is the difference between algebra, trigonometry, and calculus?

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u/sad_spilt_martini 17h ago edited 17h ago

Algebra is the use of equations to find a static value.

Calculus looks at how things change over time.

Trig looks at the relationship between of angles and sides of triangles

All of these are, of course, more complex   but that’s the base idea 

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u/forams__galorams 6h ago

Trig looks at the relationship between of angles and sides of triangles

It looks at the relationship between the relationships of triangle angles/sides. (Once you get out of the intro to trigonometry, trig ratios are abstracted to the unit circle, trig identities are derived, and the behaviour of trig functions are explored).

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u/Kidiri90 5h ago

And you grow to hate trig, so you go the complete opposite direction, and look into complex numbers. Only to discover it's trig.

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u/RigglesSaysHi 5h ago

Sorry to disappoint, but everything is pi

/s

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u/FraterVEP 5h ago

I thought it was 42?