Final answer:
To find the value of x given that sin(x°) = cos(17°) and x° and 17° are complementary angles, you subtract 17° from 90° to get x = 73°, showing that cos(17°) equals sin(73°).
Step-by-step explanation:
The student's question pertains to the relationship between complementary angles and their sine and cosine values. In a right-angled triangle, if two angles are complementary, they add up to 90 degrees. Since cos(17°) and sin(x°) represent the same ratio and are given to be equal, and the angles are complementary, we have x° + 17° = 90°. Thus, to find the value of x, we subtract 17 degrees from 90 degrees, which gives us x = 73°. Therefore, we can assert that cos(17°) = sin(73°), demonstrating the cofunction identity between sine and cosine for complementary angles.