There are three ratios that you need to

learn:
sin
o
yp
pp
h
u = cos
a
yp
dj
h
u = tan
o
dj
pp
a
u =
u
Where are the hypotenuse, adjacent and opposite lengths.
This is opposite the right-angle
This is next to the angle
30
x
You need to label all the lengths of the
triangle.
The adjacent is not needed in this
question; the question is only using
opposite and hypotenuse.
30
x
You need to label all the lengths of the
triangle.
The adjacent is not needed in this
question; the question is only using
opposite and hypotenuse.
30
x
sin
o
yp
pp
h
u = cos
a
yp
dj
h
u = tan
o
dj
pp
a
u =
We need to use the sine ratio and substitute the
values/variables that we know.
sin
o
yp
pp
h
u =
sin30
10
x
=
30
x
sin
o
yp
pp
h
u =
( ) * sin30
10
x
=
We need to solve the equation (*).
We can think of this as:
5
sin30
sin3
10
0 0 1
x

OR
rearrange the equation (*) by
multiplying both sides by x.
sin30
1
1 10
0
0
x
=

sin 0 10 3 x =
5 x =
These two triangles are very different.

The variable x will be on the denominator

sin
o
yp
pp
h
u =
sin30
10
x
=

This is an example of where we have to solve

an equation with the variable on the
denominator, so multiply both sides by x.
sin30
10
x
x x =
sin3 10 0 x =
still need to get x on its own, so
divide both sides by sin30
s 0
10
in3
x =
5
10
0.
=
20 =
1
5
c
m

x
tan
o
dj
pp
a
u =
30
tan30
15
x
=
x
x
tan3 15 0 x =
tan30 tan30
1
5
c
m

x
30
tan
o
dj
pp
a
u =
tan30
15
x
=
tan30
15
x x
x
=
tan3 15 0 x =
t 0
15
an3
x =