can someone please explain how to do this?

Find the value of y to the nearest whole number

http://secure.starssuite.com/files/geo2010/Geom_11S_Fig15.jpg.

Question

can someone please explain how to do this? 

Find the value of y to the nearest whole number

http://secure.starssuite.com/files/geo2010/Geom_11S_Fig15.jpg.

mathstudent55 · Answer

I can't see the file. I get an error.

driftracer305 · Answer

@jennyjenjen ....... can u type the question out..... we cant see it here...

anonymous · Answer

i will resend it

anonymous · Answer

Find the value of y to the nearest whole number http://secure.starssuite.com/files/geo2010/Geom_11S_Fig15.jpg

driftracer305 · Answer

k u got a calculator?

anonymous · Answer

yeah:)

driftracer305 · Answer

k now u have to use the tan function......

driftracer305 · Answer

so do tan(40) * 19

anonymous · Answer

i got 15.94

jim_thompson5910 · Answer

You use cosine instead of tangent

driftracer305 · Answer

k @jennyjenjen ...... jim thompson is right..... or if u did it my way.... nw use pythagorean theorem.......

mathstudent55 · Answer

Perhaps an explanation is in order.

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mathstudent55 · Answer

For the 40-deg angle, the leg measuring 19 is the adjacent leg.
The side measuring y is the hypotenuse.
The trig function that relates the adjacent leg and the hypotenuse is the cosine.
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mathstudent55 · Answer

$\cos 40^o = \dfrac{adj}{hyp} $

$\cos 40^o = \dfrac{19}{y} $

$y = \dfrac{19}{\cos 40^o}$