Question

Find x to the nearest tenth.

1.3
18.7
19.3

I know for the tangent ratio its opposite side over adjacent.
So I got: tan 15 degrees = 5/x, but I don't know what to do from here. Help?

Answer 1

@mathmale

Answer 2

WANT A METELE I DO

Answer 3

@mjezey if you want a medal then help her ^.^

Answer 4

@jim_thompson5910

Answer 5

so far, so good

now we isolate x

\[\Large \tan\left(15^{\circ}\right) = \frac{5}{x}\]
\[\Large x*\tan\left(15^{\circ}\right) = 5\]
\[\Large x = \frac{5}{\tan\left(15^{\circ}\right)}\]
making sense so far?

Answer 6

How did you get: x = 5/tan 15 degrees? I understood the other two.

Answer 7

when you type `tan(15)` into calculator, it spits out some number. We don't really care what number it is. The point I'm trying to make is that `tan(15)` stands for some decimal number

what does this mean? Well you can divide both sides by `tan(15)` to fully isolate x. That's what happens in the last step

Answer 8

if it bugs you, then you can use a calculator to get

tan(15) = 0.267949192431

then you'll go from this

\[\Large x*{\color{red}{\tan\left(15^{\circ}\right)}} = 5\]

to this

\[\Large x*{\color{red}{0.267949192431}} = 5\]

then you can divide both sides by `0.267949192431` to isolate x

Answer 9

So the answer to 5/tan(15), rounded to the nearest tenth, is 18.7?
x = 18.7?

Answer 10

correct

Answer 11

Thank you so much! I really appreciate your help!

Answer 12

you're welcome