SOHCAHTOA: Trigonometric Ratios Explained
SOHCAHTOA is a mnemonic device used to remember the trigonometric ratios in right-angled triangles. This page demonstrates how to apply these ratios to solve various problems.
Definition: SOHCAHTOA stands for Sine = Opposite / Hypotenuse, Cosine = Adjacent / Hypotenuse, Tangent = Opposite / Adjacent.
The page shows several examples of using SOHCAHTOA to find unknown lengths and angles in right-angled triangles. For instance, one problem involves finding the length of a side using the sine function:
Example: Sin36° = x / 20, where x is the opposite side and 20 is the hypotenuse. Solving this equation gives x ≈ 11.7 cm.
Another example demonstrates the use of the tangent function:
Example: tan42° = x / 11, where x is the opposite side and 11 is the adjacent side. The solution is x ≈ 9.9 cm.
The page also includes a problem using the cosine function to find an angle:
Example: cosx = 11 / 16, where x is the unknown angle. Using the inverse cosine function, we find x ≈ 46.4°.
These examples highlight the practical application of SOHCAHTOA in solving trigonometry pythagoras foundation exam questions.