ShmoopTube

Where Monty Python meets your 10th grade teacher.

Search Thousands of Shmoop Videos

ACT Math 5.2 Trigonometry 228 Views


Share It!


Description:

ACT Math: Trigonometry Drill 5, Problem 2. What is the measure of Angle x?

Language:
English Language

Transcript

00:03

Here's your shmoop du jour.

00:05

If sin(x) = 1/2, what is the measure of Angle x?

00:07

And here are the options:

00:11

Ok, so this question wants to know the measure

00:13

of angle X.

00:15

According to SOHCAHTOA,

00:16

the sine is opposite over hypotenuse.

00:20

So if sin(x) equals one over two, one is the length of the side opposite angle x and two

00:27

is the adjacent side, or the hypotenuse. Using the Pythagorean theorem, we can solve

00:32

for the length of the missing leg.

00:37

1 squared plus the leg squared equals 2 squared. This simplifies to 1 plus the leg squared

00:44

equals 4.

00:45

Subtract 1 from both sides, and we get that the leg squared equals 3. Take the square

00:51

root of both sides, and the leg equals square root of 3.

00:54

This makes the ratio of the sides, 1 to the square root of 3 to 2, making this a special 30-60-90 triangle.

01:02

x, the angle opposite the smallest side length, is the smallest angle, or 30 degrees.

01:08

So it's A.

Up Next

Inequalities in Number Lines
3224 Views

ACT Math: Coordinate Geometry Drill 1, Problem 1. Which inequality is expressed by the number line?

Related Videos

ACT Math 3.1 Intermediate Algebra
1954 Views

ACT Math: Intermediate Algebra: Drill 3, Problem 1. Find the fifth number in the series.

ACT Math 3.1 Plane Geometry
2558 Views

ACT Math: Plane Geometry Drill 3, Problem 1. What is the area of the trapezoid shape in the video?

Surface Area of Cylinders
14740 Views

Haven't you always wondered how much cardboard it takes to encase a trunk warmer for your pet elephant?

Perimeter of Irregular Shapes
4864 Views

Want to figure out the area and perimeter of irregular shapes? Break them down into regular shapes. For example, a flower can be broken down into s...