Question

A scientist measures the angle x and the distance y between the Earth and the sun. Using complete sentences, explain how the scientist can use only these two measurements to calculate the distance between the moon and the sun.

Answer 1

help please

Answer 2

The triangle in the picture is a right triangle, so the ratios of its sides are related to the
basic trig functions. The distance to the moon is the side opposite the angle, and the distance to the sun is the side adjacent to the angle, If you take their ratio, which trig function do you get?

Answer 3

sine

Answer 4

sine is the ratio of the opposite side to the hypotenuse

Answer 5

oh sorry cosine

Answer 6

cosine is the ratio of the adjacent side to the hypotenuse

Answer 7

i am not good with this so is it the tangent

Answer 8

that is why one asks for help. The cheesy pneumonic is soh cah toa

Sine = Opposite / Hypotenuse
Cosine = Adjacent/ Hypotenuse
Tan = Opposite/ Adjacent

Answer 9

ok thanks

Answer 10

so they would use the two angles because?

Answer 11

in your picture there's only one angle given, there are two legths, the one you're looking for and the one you measured.

Answer 12

i would say it was because they have to know those are the only two types of information he needs to know in order to find the distance because if you know the two angle measures for a right triangle you can find out everything #fwizbang

Answer 13

@fwizbang

Answer 14

you need to know the length of one of the sides to figure out the size of the triangle. If you only know the angles, you can only find the shape....