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What information do you need to be given to be able to use trig functions to solve for a missing side length of a right triangle?

User Iusting
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Answer:

To use trigonometric functions (sine, cosine, tangent) to solve for a missing side length of a right triangle, you need to be given two pieces of information:

  1. One acute angle measure: You need to know one of the acute angles of the right triangle in degrees or radians.
  2. The length of one side: You need to know the length of at least one side of the right triangle, either the hypotenuse or one of the legs.

Once you have these two pieces of information, you can use the appropriate trigonometric function to solve for the missing side length. The specific trigonometric function used depends on which angle you know and which side you are trying to find.

For example, if you know the length of the adjacent side and the angle measure, you can use the cosine function to solve for the length of the hypotenuse or the opposite side. If you know the length of the opposite side and the angle measure, you can use the sine function to solve for the length of the hypotenuse or the adjacent side. If you know the length of the adjacent side and the opposite side, you can use the tangent function to solve for the angle measure or the length of the hypotenuse.

It's important to make sure that the units of measurement for the angle and side length are consistent, either in degrees or radians.

User Dnyani
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