How could you find the length of b? (Picture included,Multiple choice)

Question

august899 · Answer

attachment

abdullahm · Answer

Hint:

sin = opposite/hypotenuse

cos = adjacent/hypotenuse

tan = opposite/adjacent

august899 · Answer

I was thinking that the only 2 that are shown are the hypotenuse and adjacent which would make it cos. But i'm not sure if that's right. The adjacent and opposites confuse me a little.

abdullahm · Answer

For example, the side opposite angle 30 is 5. The adjacent side is whatever side is remaining and is not the hypotenuse, that would be b.

august899 · Answer

So the answer is A?

abdullahm · Answer

That is one of the answers! There is one more answer, however.

august899 · Answer

Is the other one B?

abdullahm · Answer

Correct!

abdullahm · Answer

Wait! There is one more correct answer!

august899 · Answer

and the next one is D?

abdullahm · Answer

Remember, tan = opposite/adjacent

So D isn't correct, which leaves us with C

august899 · Answer

I thought that since for B,the opposite one was b then it would be the same for the other ones?

abdullahm · Answer

For angle 30, the opposite side is 5

For angle 60, the opposite side is b

august899 · Answer

I don't understand completely. I get that those are opposite are 30 and 60 but I thought that since the question was asking for the length of b you would just do what's opposite of b for everything.

agent0smith · Answer

Opposite of the angle. 

Never opposite of the side.

august899 · Answer

Ohhh! Now I get it! Thank you both for the help! :)

abdullahm · Answer

It was my pleasure!