How do you evaluate sin(arccos (1/3)) ?

1 Answer
Jun 10, 2016

sin(arccos(1/3))=+-(2sqrt2)/3

Explanation:

Let arccos(1/3)=theta. This means

costheta=1/3 and hence

sintheta=sqrt(1-(1/3)^2)=+-sqrt(1-1/9)=+-sqrt(8/9)=+-(2sqrt2)/3

We are using both plus and minus as if costheta is in first quadrant, sintheta could be positive and if costheta is in fourth quadrant, sintheta could be negaitive.

As such sin(arccos(1/3))=sintheta=+-(2sqrt2)/3