Question

The moon forms a right triangle with the Earth and the Sun during one of its phases, as shown below:

A right angle triangle is shown with the Earth at the right angle. The acute angle between the line joining the Earth and the moon and the Sun and the moon is x degrees. The distance between the Earth and the Sun is y.

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

@myininaya

Answer 2

@linn99123

Answer 3

This is using SOH-CAH-TOA
Flip your diagram upside down.
If you know X angle, and you have the Y which is opposite to angle x, you would use SOH to find the hypotenuse length (sineX = Opposite/hypotenuse) and TOA to find the adjacent length (tanX = Opposite/adjacent)