Sunday, September 26, 2010

9-1

This week in Advanced Math, we took a test on chapter 8 and moved on to chapter nine. In this chapter, we learned how to use SOHCAHTOA to find different sides of a triangle.
SOHCAHTOA stands for Sin equals Opposite over Hypotenuse, Cos equals Adjacent over Hypotenuse, Tan equals Opposite over Adjacent. Besides those three, Csc, Sec, and Cot are also used. Csc equals hypotenuse over opposite Sec equals hypotenuse over adjacent and Cot equals adjacent over opposite.
But, there are some restrictions. These can only be used with a right triangle. The hypotenuse is the longest side which means it is opposite of the right angle. Never confuse the hypotenuse with the adjacent side.


Example-

If you look out of a third story window 20 feet in the air to the top of a skyscraper 400 feet away and the angle of elevation is 35 degrees you and the top of the skyscraper, how tall is the skyscraper?
In this case, you would take tan 35 and set it equal to y over 400.
Then solve for Y.
Y = 400 tan 35
Y then equals 280.083.
After that you must add 20 because of the 20 feet you were already up in the air.
Your total would then be 300.083

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