Question

1.59 = .311/cos^2theta + 11.9sintheta/costheta

Solve for theta

Answer 1

looks better like this

\[1.59 = \frac{ .311 }{ \cos ^2\theta } + \frac{ 11.9\sin \theta }{ \cos \theta } \]

Answer 2

@zepdrix

Answer 3

Ahh ok I think I got it.
Let's see...

Answer 4

\[\Large\rm 1.59=.311\sec^2\theta+11.9\tan \theta\]\[\Large\rm 1.59=.311(\tan^2\theta+1)+11.9\tan \theta\]And then move some stuff around and you have a quadratic involving tangent.

Answer 5

\[\Large\rm 0=.311\tan^2\theta+11.9\tan \theta-1.279\]

Answer 6

\[\Large\rm \tan \theta=\frac{-11.9\pm\sqrt{(11.9)^2-4(.311)(-1.279)}}{2(.311)}\]

Answer 7

haha I got it! I knew the answer was tan theta = .107 and one the answer given by the quadratic is that while other is negative

Answer 8

After you get your values on the right, you can apply your inverse tangent to get some angles.
Then recall that tangent is periodic in pi, so that gives us a bunch of sets of solutions :d

Answer 9

this was technically the math portion of a physics problem so all i gotta do is inverse tan .107 and i got my theta :P

Answer 10

ah neato :)