Question #18d08

2 Answers
Aug 8, 2017

cosA=+-(2sqrt2)/3

Explanation:

•color(white)(x)sin^2x+cos^2x=1

rArrcosx=+-sqrt(1-sin^2x)

rArrcosA=+-sqrt(1-(1/3)^2)

color(white)(rArrcosA)=+-sqrt(8/9)

color(white)(rArrcosA)=+-(2sqrt2)/3

"the sign of "cosA" will be dependent on which quadrant A is in.

Aug 8, 2017

cosA = +-(2sqrt2)/3

Explanation:

The sine of a right triangle is the ratio of the lengths opposite side to the hypotenuse, and the cosine is the ratio of the adjacent side to the hypotenuse.

From the given sin, we know that the ratio gives us

  • "opposite" = 1

  • "hypotenuse" = 3

We can use the Pythagorean theorem to find the length of the adjacent side:

"adjacent" = sqrt(3^2 - 1^2) = color(red)(ul(+-2sqrt2

And since

cos = "adjacent"/"hypotenuse"

We have

color(blue)(ulbar(|stackrel(" ")(" "cos = +-(2sqrt2)/3" ")|)

depending on the quadrant it lies in.