[weberer]

>I’m under the impression that trigonometry is not extensively taught in middle schools and high schools in the USA

Basic trig is taught in middle school, but exclusively using degrees. Advanced trig is optional in high school if you take the "hard math" track.

[rockostrich]

> Advanced trig is optional in high school if you take the "hard math" track.

This depends on the state. NYS absolutely requires everyone to learn "advanced trig" in high school.

[mod]

I think I would have put the quotes around "learn."

I don't think every high school student can master advanced trig.

[retrocryptid]

Wow. You people went to crap schools. We got the derivation of modern trig functions w/ maclauren/Taylor series in 9th grade (though yeah... that was the "hard core math track".) And a year of proofs and derivations in 11th grade. Quaternions and their application in physics was 12th grade.