when do i use sin, cos and tan in inverse form?

Question

asnaseer · Answer

an example might be that you are told the sin of an angle is 0.5 and asked to find the angle. then you would use the inverse sin function.

asnaseer · Answer

does that help?

anonymous · Answer

so when looking for the sides of a triangle?

asnaseer · Answer

when looking for sides, you usually use the sin/cos/tan functions.
the inverses are usually used to find the angles.

asnaseer · Answer

so you might be given an angle and one side, and asked to find another side - that involves using sin/cos/tan.
on the other hand, you might be given 2 sides and asked to find the angle - that involves using the inverse functions.

anonymous · Answer

ohh ok... |dw:1327355865365:dw|
how would i do this?

asnaseer · Answer

$$\cos(60)=\frac{5}{x}$$therefore:$$x=\frac{5}{\cos(60)}$$

anonymous · Answer

cosine is a/h?

asnaseer · Answer

yes

asnaseer · Answer

you can use the mneumonic SohCahToa to remember them.
Soh ===> sin = o/h
Cah ===> cos = a/h
Toa ===> tan = o/a

asnaseer · Answer

you pronounce it as "SAW CAH TOE AH"

anonymous · Answer

when i have that e

anonymous · Answer

equation set up.. how do you solve for the x tho?

asnaseer · Answer

just work out the fraction - 5 divided by cosine of 60 degrees.
I'm not sure where you are stuck?

anonymous · Answer

sry.. i thought it was 5/x tho?