How do you find the values of all six trigonometric functions of a right triangle ABC where C is the right angle, given a=5, c=6?

1 Answer
Oct 22, 2016

(see below)

Explanation:

Based on the Pythagorean Theorem, we know that
#color(white)("XXX")a^2+b^2=c^2

rarr b=sqrt(c^2-a^2)=sqrt(6^2-5^2)=sqrt(11)b=c2a2=6252=11
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sin = "opposite"/"hypotenuse"color(white)("XX")rarr sin(A)=5/6sin=oppositehypotenuseXXsin(A)=56

csc = "hypotenuse"/"opposite" color(white)("XX")rarr csc(A)=6/5csc=hypotenuseoppositeXXcsc(A)=65

cos = "adjacent"/"hypotenuse"color(white)("XX")rarr cos(A)=sqrt(11)/6cos=adjacenthypotenuseXXcos(A)=116

sec = "hypotenuse"/"adjacent" color(white)("XX")rarr sec(A)=6/sqrt(11)sec=hypotenuseadjacentXXsec(A)=611

tan = "opposite"/"adjacent"color(white)("XX")rarr tan(A)=5/sqrt(11)tan=oppositeadjacentXXtan(A)=511

cot = "adjacent"/"opposite" color(white)("XX")rarr cot(A)=sqrt(11)/5cot=adjacentoppositeXXcot(A)=115