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Explain how the tangents of complementary angles are related.

User Cragly
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1 Answer

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Answer:

tan(α) = 1/tan(90°-α)

Explanation:

The tangent of one is the reciprocal of the tangent of the other.

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In a right triangle, ...

tan = opposite/adjacent

For the two complementary acute angles in such a triangle, opposite and adjacent are swapped. That is the tangent of one is the inverse of the tangent of the other. (That inverse is also known as the cotangent.)

tan(α) = cot(90°-α) = 1/tan(90°-α)

User Uniquelau
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