Solving Trig Functions.

One of the things we learned this week was how to solve trig functions.

First you isolate the trig function. Then you take the inverse of the trig function.

(An inverse finds an angle). Next you use your trig chart or calculator to find answer (only use positive value). And lastly you use quadrants to find the right angle positive or negative with trig function.

There will be at least two answers for each inverse.

Reminder: Q 1 ------> Q 2 make negative ass 180 degrees

Q 1 ------> Q 3 add 180 degrees

Q 1 ------> Q 4 make negative add 360 degrees

Example: 4 tan θ – 5 = 0

First you have to solve for theta. So you add 5 to both sides and you get 4 tan θ = 5. Now you need to divide 4 from both sides so you would get tan θ = 5/4.

Now you need to take the inverse of tan θ which would be θ = tan-1(5/4). Next you plug that into your calculator and you get 51.340 which is in the first quadrant. The other quadrant it’s positive in is 3 so you add 360 to 51.340 and you get 231.34.

You can’t leave your answer like this because Brob doesn’t want us too, so you need to change it to degrees, minutes, and seconds.

51.340

.340 times 60 = 20.4

.4 times 60 = 24

231.34

.34 times 60 = 20.4

.4 times 6 = 24

θ= 51º20’24” and 231º20’24”

Danielle Sharp.