Question
When trying to solve
arctan(sqrt 567.2 / -459.6) my answer was -2.96. My teacher said that i handled the radical wrong. She said I have to square both numbers, then add them, and then find the square root. I am confused because you cannot take the square root of -459.6. Please explain.
arctan(sqrt 567.2 / -459.6) my answer was -2.96. My teacher said that i handled the radical wrong. She said I have to square both numbers, then add them, and then find the square root. I am confused because you cannot take the square root of -459.6. Please explain.
Answers
lauren
Im not sure by your equation why you are to follow that process, but if you are to first square the two numbers then you get rid of the -ve
ie:
567.2^2 and (-459.6)^2
i hope this helps
ie:
567.2^2 and (-459.6)^2
i hope this helps
Reiny
arctan(sqrt 567.2 / -459.6)
= arctan(23.81596/-459.6)
= arctan(-.051819)
= -2.97°
most calculators have been programmed that for any arc(trig function) they will give you the smallest value of rotation from 0,
so -2.97 would be in the 4th quadrant, coterminal with 360-2.97 or 357.03°
the tangent is also negative in the 2nd quadrant, so
the smallest positive answer is 180-2.97 = 177.03°
check: tan 357.03 = tan 177.03 = .05188
√567.2/-459.6 = .0518189 , close enough,
= arctan(23.81596/-459.6)
= arctan(-.051819)
= -2.97°
most calculators have been programmed that for any arc(trig function) they will give you the smallest value of rotation from 0,
so -2.97 would be in the 4th quadrant, coterminal with 360-2.97 or 357.03°
the tangent is also negative in the 2nd quadrant, so
the smallest positive answer is 180-2.97 = 177.03°
check: tan 357.03 = tan 177.03 = .05188
√567.2/-459.6 = .0518189 , close enough,