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Suppose sin(A) = 1/4 Use the trig identity sin^2(A)+cos^2(A)=1 to find the cosine in quadrant II. round to ten-thousandth.0.1397-0.9682-0.85720.4630

User Behnam Eskandari
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1 Answer

21 votes
21 votes

To find the value f rthe cosine function we will us the identity:


\sin^2A+\cos^2A=1

We know that the sine of A i 1/4 then we have:


\begin{gathered} ((1)/(4))^2+\cos^2A=1 \\ \cos^2A=1-(1)/(16) \\ \cos A=\pm\sqrt{(15)/(16)} \\ \cos A=\pm0.9682 \end{gathered}

Now, we need to determine which sign to choose. Since the sinA lies in th second quadrant thismeans that tehe coosine als lies in the quadrant; furthermore, we know that the cosine is negative in the second and thirsd quadrants whichmeans that we need to use the negative sign. Therefoore:


\cos A=-0.9682

User Anton Egorov
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3.0k points
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