Question

Trigonometry. Please help

Answer 1

You need to use your trig identities for a right triangle. Remember SOH CAH TOA. In this case we will use CAH, so the cos of the angle = adjacent/hypotenuse.

In this case: cos(50)=y/4

Can you solve from here?

Answer 2

No can you explain?

Answer 3

Solve for y

Answer 4

Can you do it and show work so I understand.

Answer 5

Multiply by 4 on each side so you get

y=4cos(50)

Then you need to plug that in to your calculator or use your table to find the cos(50)

Answer 6

It says it's 60 degrees. Is that right?

Answer 7

No, it can't be 60 degrees because you are not looking for an angle, you are looking for the length of the side y. It has to be a number less than 4 because of the properties of a right triangle. The side of length 4 is the hypotenuse which by the Pythagorean Theorem is the longest side.

Answer 8

Is it the tangent 1.7321

Answer 9

No, we already solved for y

y=4cos(50)

plug 4cos(50) into your calculator and what do you get?

Answer 10

.6478760969 thats what I got

Answer 11

What kind of calculator do you have?

Answer 12

I used an online calculator.

Answer 13

Do you have tables for sin and cos in the back of your book?

Answer 14

yes

Answer 15

What do you get for the cos(50) from the tables?

Answer 16

Sine .8660

Answer 17

no......cos(50), I get cos(50)=0.6427876097

Answer 18

So what is 4cos(50)??

Answer 19

Or in other words what is 4(0.642787097)?

Answer 20

2.571148388

Answer 21

Bingo

Answer 22

Since they want it to the nearest integer you will need to round up to 3. 3 is the nearest integer.

Answer 23

Thanks for hangin in there with me .

Answer 24

No problem, do you understand what we did?

Answer 25

Yea kind of, math is not my strongsuit lol.

Answer 26

It wasn't mine either!! Until I really focused hard on it. Practice practice practice! It took me a while!