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I couldn't help but panic. School resumes tomorrow, and we have a speed quiz on ____________. I've forgotten everything that had been discussed, and even after I've finished reviewing, I'm supposing that I won't be able to remember everything. I hate to be the pessimist, but I have failed these quizzes consecutively, managing to miss the... small yet important details.

Meanwhile this guy Rico is non-stop with his perfect scores, even getting to the top of our class! Moreover, his memory is not short-, but long-term. I'm not even friends with him, but I wish that, somehow, Rico sets his gaze upon pitiable me, so as to help me remember and analyze correctly. Oh, Rico...

My brain is not able to... function... properly.
Tell me, what will our quiz be about? More importantly, what specifically did I forget?

Note: The length of the blank does not necessarily signify the length of the name of the quiz topic.

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  • $\begingroup$ (realized that I may have forgotten to include something, so I will make edits. no hints yet, though) $\endgroup$
    – oAlt
    Commented Apr 23, 2020 at 9:27
  • $\begingroup$ I have a feeling I've found (at least a good chunk of) your intended answer, but do you need to edit the puzzle further before anybody answers, or do you want us to post answers now? Thanks. $\endgroup$
    – Stiv
    Commented Apr 23, 2020 at 11:04
  • $\begingroup$ Latter. I have no further edits to make. :) $\endgroup$
    – oAlt
    Commented Apr 23, 2020 at 11:09

1 Answer 1

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I believe tomorrow's speed quiz is on:

TRIGONOMETRY

There are a couple of clues to this in the title and flavour text:

1. The mention of 'function' in the final lines is a nod towards mathematical functions.

2. When the title says "Two are defined for all, the rest are not...", this is a specific reference to the six basic trigonometric functions: sine (sin), cosine (cos), tangent (tan), secant (sec), cosecant (csc) and cotangent (cot). The two functions sin(x) and cos(x) are defined for any value of x; however, the others - tan(x), sec(x), csc(x) and cot(x) - have regular asymptotes, i.e. points at which the function is not defined:

Graphs of trig functions
Image source: SparkNotes

Turning our attention to the main block of text, we find that:

the abbreviations of these trigonometric functions are hidden among the text. Specifically, here:

I couldn't help but paniC. SChool resumes tomorrow, and we have a speed quiz on TRIGONOMETRY. I've forgotten everything that had been discussed, and even after I've finished reviewing, I'm suppoSINg that I won't be able to remember everything. I hate to be the pessimist, but I have failed these quizzes conSECutively, managing to miss the... small yet imporTANt details.

Meanwhile this guy Rico is non-stop with his perfect scores, even getting to the top of our class! Moreover, his memory is not short-, but long-term. I'm not even friends with him, but I wish that, somehow, RiCO Sets his gaze upon pitiable me, so as to help me remember and analyze correctly. Oh, Rico...

But hang on a sec (see what I did there??), you have indeed forgotten something:

Where's the abbreviation for cotangent - "cot"??

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  • $\begingroup$ Correct! In my opinion this may not have been the best puzzle I ever made, since it was inspired by another puzzle. (Which is why it's not surprising that you were the one to answer this.) I tried making a puzzle that was original and related to trigonometric functions, but alas, I could only stick to the latter part, since I was working on a larger puzzle at the same time (which will eventually get here :D ). Nevertheless, you get the check mark! $\endgroup$
    – oAlt
    Commented Apr 23, 2020 at 11:57
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    $\begingroup$ @oAlt I really like this kind of puzzle (as you can tell!) and I wouldn't say this was a bad one at all. If you'd like some feedback, I'd say that you could probably rot13(phg bhg zhpu bs gur frpbaq cnentencu - gurer'f bayl bar jbeq uvqqra va gurer naq gur erfg vf cheryl svyyre (fbzr fragraprf unir ab jbeqf pbaprnyrq ng nyy). Qrafre, zber flfgrzngvp chmmyrf bs guvf sbez, jurer gur jbeqf ner uvqqra (r.t.) bar cre fragrapr, be nyjnlf va gur ynfg jbeq bs gur yvar, graq gb srry zber fngvfslvat.) I'll be interested to see your next puzzle when it comes out - keep it up! :) $\endgroup$
    – Stiv
    Commented Apr 23, 2020 at 12:15
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    $\begingroup$ aaaa thank u very much :D I greatly agree with what you advised :0 $\endgroup$
    – oAlt
    Commented Apr 23, 2020 at 12:40

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