Physics problem ((triangles)) please help?

Question

Imagine a right triangle. The height is 938.8. The base is unknown. the angles are: 72, 90, and 18. Find the base.

any ideas??

Imagine a right triangle. The OPPOSITE is 938.8. The HYPOTENUSE and ADJACENT are unknown. The angles of the triangle are: 72 degrees, 90 degrees, and 18 degrees. Any help or answers?

(im not in trig)

Answer 1

The Sine Rule

a/sin(A) = b/sin(B) = c/sin(C)

Where A, B, & C are the angles
and a, b, & c are the opposite sides.

A = 90 degrees
B = 72 degrees
C = 18 degrees

b = 938.8
a = diagonal (since the angle A is the largest)
c = base

Therefore

c/sin(C) = b/sin(B)

c/sin(18) = 938.8/sin(72)

c = 938.8/sin(72) x sin(18)

c = 305.0346

The base is 305.0346

Answer 2

SOHCAHTOA

SOH => Sine of angle = Opposite side divided by Hypotenuse
CAH => Cosine of angle = Adjacent side divided by Hypotenuse
TOA => Tangent of angle = Opposite side divided by Adjacent side

You can calculate the adjacent side, the base, because you have the known angle and a known opposite side. So use the Tangent of the angle to calculate. It's simple algebra.

Miss Studenka taught us the Sohcahtoa method back in high school in the 1970's

Answer 3

Let the right triangle be named as ABC with right angle at B = 90 degrees and
height AB = 938.8 (given).

Let the verticle angle at A = 18 degrees. So the remaining angle at C will be
72 degrees.

Hence, base BC = AB*(BC/AB)
= AB*tan(A)
= (938.8)*[tan(18)]
= (938.8)*(0.325)
= 305.035 (Approximately)

Answer 4

While triangles are not a physics problem, you're smart to come here to get answers you can understand!

Answer 5

Can't you just use trigonometry to solve it?