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Everything I know is wrong!

Name: Suomynona 2009-06-27 17:27

I'm studying to get my GED and one of these practice problems has me confused.

I have a right triangle:
Sin A = 20 degrees
Opposite C = 4.26ft
Hypotenuse B = ?
Find B.

The formula they gave me looks like a simple division problem, Sin = Opp/Hyp.

Sin is the Quotient, Opp is the Dividend and Hyp is the Divisor.

I was taught long ago, to find the Divisor in a division problem you multiply the Dividend by the Quotient.

So I punched in 4.26 x 20sin into the calculator and get 1.45 (rounded to 1.5) which is wrong.

The correct why, or at least their way, to find the Divisor is to divide the Dividend by the Quotient.

4.26/20sin = 12.45 (round to 12.5).
Which undermines everything I was taught.

I just want to know why the old way doesn't work here.

Name: Anonymous 2009-07-03 15:02

Reverse Engineered mathematics, OP!

Usually you have 5+5=x; x=10.
But if you have x+5=10; how do you find x?
instead of adding, subtract from the left side 5 and from the right side 5; whatever you do to one side you do to the other.
x+5(-5)=10(-5)
x=5
the same applies to geometry.

If I remember correctly, you have one side and two angles of a triangle (a RIGHT triangle, 90 degrees)and you are looking for the hypotenuse, amirite?
so Angle 1 = 20, Angle 2 = 90, Side 1 is 4.26 feet.
Use the theorem for Angle, Angle, Side to figure out the hypotenuse. I'd give you the answer, but where's the fun in that?

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