How Do Calculators Calculate Trigonometric Functions?
How does your calculator quickly produce values of trigonometric functions? You might be surprised to learn that it does not use series or polynomial approximations, but rather the so-called CORDIC method. This paper will focus on the geometry of the CORDIC method, as originally developed by Volder in 1959. This algorithm is a wonderful application of sequences and will be demonstrated on the TI-86 graphing calculator. A rigorous convergence proof for the CORDIC method is also provided.