JimmyPageZoSo56 Posted May 23, 2008 Share Posted May 23, 2008 For extra credit for my Trig. class, I need to explain why sine divided cosine always equals tangent. Does somebody know for sure so I can double check my work? I have a pretty good idea why, but I am not 100% sure. This is what I have: SOH-CAH-TOA Sin = opposite/hypotenuse Cos = adjacent/hypotenuse Tan= opposite/adjacent So, (O/H) divided by (A/H) = O/A because the H cancels out. If you can help, that'll be great! It will be much appreciated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cactus Posted May 23, 2008 Share Posted May 23, 2008 Looks good to me. Substitute in some numbers and see how it goes. This might be a bad piece of advice at the moment to give you, but I can honestly say that since I left school I have never used calculus or trig. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimmyPageZoSo56 Posted May 23, 2008 Author Share Posted May 23, 2008 nah dude its fine thanks for the advice. I'll try it thanks man Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pb Derigable Posted May 23, 2008 Share Posted May 23, 2008 Sine, Cosine and Tangent are trigonometric functions use in solving problems involving a right triangle which is a three sided figure with one angle equal to 90 degrees. (A 90 degree angle is called a right angle.) We define the side of the triangle opposite from the right angle to be the hypotenuse, "h". It is the longest side of the three sides of the right triangle. We pick one of the other two angles and label it b. We don't have to worry about the other angle because the sum of the 3 angles of a triangle is equal to 180 degrees. There is a side opposite the angle "b" which we designate o for "opposite". The remaining side we label a for "adjacent", since there are two sides of the triangle which form the angle "b". One is "h" the hypotenuse, and the other is "a" the adjacent. So the three sides of our triangle are "o", "a" and "h", with "a" and "h" forming the angle "b". Sine, Cosine and Tangent. They are just the length of one side divided by another ... you just have to know which sides! In relation to the angle θ : Sine Function: sin(θ) = Opposite / Hypotenuse Cosine Function: cos(θ) = Adjacent / Hypotenuse Tangent Function: tan(θ) = Opposite / Adjacent Sohcahtoa Sohcahtoa? Just an easy way to remember which side to divide by which! Like this: Soh... Sine = Opposite / Hypotenuse ...cah... Cosine = Adjacent / Hypotenuse ...toa Tangent = Opposite / Adjacent Remember "sohcahtoa" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zosodude13 Posted May 23, 2008 Share Posted May 23, 2008 Remember "sohcahtoa" I was taught by my trig teacher: Some Old Hippie Caught Another Hippie Tripping On Acid no joke! but the most important part, I never forgot it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
L 7 Posted May 23, 2008 Share Posted May 23, 2008 sine sine tangent undefined the slope of the secant line is breaking my mind do this dont divide by zero cant you find the cosine To the music of "Signs" by The Five man Electrical Band Yeah, corny I know Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimmyPageZoSo56 Posted May 23, 2008 Author Share Posted May 23, 2008 Sine, Cosine and Tangent are trigonometric functions use in solving problems involving a right triangle which is a three sided figure with one angle equal to 90 degrees. (A 90 degree angle is called a right angle.) We define the side of the triangle opposite from the right angle to be the hypotenuse, "h". It is the longest side of the three sides of the right triangle. We pick one of the other two angles and label it b. We don't have to worry about the other angle because the sum of the 3 angles of a triangle is equal to 180 degrees. There is a side opposite the angle "b" which we designate o for "opposite". The remaining side we label a for "adjacent", since there are two sides of the triangle which form the angle "b". One is "h" the hypotenuse, and the other is "a" the adjacent. So the three sides of our triangle are "o", "a" and "h", with "a" and "h" forming the angle "b". Sine, Cosine and Tangent. They are just the length of one side divided by another ... you just have to know which sides! In relation to the angle θ : Sine Function: sin(θ) = Opposite / Hypotenuse Cosine Function: cos(θ) = Adjacent / Hypotenuse Tangent Function: tan(θ) = Opposite / Adjacent Sohcahtoa Sohcahtoa? Just an easy way to remember which side to divide by which! Like this: Soh... Sine = Opposite / Hypotenuse ...cah... Cosine = Adjacent / Hypotenuse ...toa Tangent = Opposite / Adjacent Remember "sohcahtoa" yup, I know all of that stuff. i just couldnt figure out that problem.And I got it right, so thank you very, very much! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimmyPageZoSo56 Posted May 23, 2008 Author Share Posted May 23, 2008 I was taught by my trig teacher: Some Old Hippie Caught Another Hippie Tripping On Acid no joke! but the most important part, I never forgot it! oh nice! We learned it as some Native American that was "good with triangles." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wanna be drummer Posted May 24, 2008 Share Posted May 24, 2008 Wait til you get to calculus. Then you get to take derivatives and integrals of sine, cosine, tangent, cotangent, secant, and cosecant. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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