What is trigonometry and its applications? Other Uses of Trigonometry The calculus is based on trigonometry and algebra. The fundamental trigonometric functions like sine and cosine are used to describe the sound and light waves. Trigonometry is used in oceanography to calculate heights of waves and tides in oceans. It used in the creation of maps.Uses of trigonometry Amongst the lay public of non-mathematicians and non-scientists, trigonometry is known chiefly for its application to measurement problems, yet is also often used in ways that are far more subtle, such as its place in the theory of music; still other uses are more technical, such as in number theory