Cos : The cosine of an angle $0\leq\alpha\leq 180^{\circ}$ or $\cos \alpha$ is defined by finding a right triangle with angle $\alpha$ and dividing the length of the leg adjacent to $\alpha$ by the length of the hypotenuse. For arbitrary angles the cosine function can be extended in a periodic way by inscribing the right triangle in a circle. The cosine can be used to calculate unknown side lengths in a triangle via the cosine law and in the case of right triangles via its definition. The Pythagorean theorem implies that $\cos^2 \alpha+\sin^2 \alpha=1.$