How to use inverses in trigonometry?

Question

anonymous · Answer

heres the quetion but I dont know how to solve it. sin-1=17/41

anonymous · Answer

equation*

anonymous · Answer

what is the inverse operation of an inverse function
tell me what would you do with 
sin(x)=1/2

anonymous · Answer

im not sure

btaylor · Answer

When I see a trig inverse function, I think, "So, what is the angle whose sin/cos/tan is (whatever I am given)? It usually helps to draw a triangle. For example, if I am given sin-1(x)=17/41, I draw: |dw:1393564044201:dw| Then it is just calculator work.

anonymous · Answer

Yeah, I have been told to enter 17/41 into sin-1 in a calculator but I get a decimal points

btaylor · Answer

Is your calculator in radian or degree mode? Since you want the measure of x in degrees, make sure you put it in degree mode. It will be a decimal because it isn't a "pure" angle. You should get about 24.5 degrees.

anonymous · Answer

you want do do the sin not sin^-1 because it is the inverse. to get x

btaylor · Answer

@lonnie455rich if you have sin(x) = #, the only way to find x is with the inverse sine (sin-1)

anonymous · Answer

okay let me check it out

anonymous · Answer

but he has sin^-1x

anonymous · Answer

i am the one that put the sinx there. to see if he knew to inverse the sinx to get x

doc.brown · Answer

@Rezer$$sin^{-1} = \frac{1}{sin^1}$$

btaylor · Answer

@doc.brown no, that is not true. $$\sin^{-1}x \neq \frac{1}{\sin x}$$ It is the arcsin. Totally different function.