TRIANGLE

TRIGONOMETRY
Using the Calculator to Find
Trigonometric Ratios
LESSON PROPER
Finding a ratio
given the angle.
 EXAMPLE

To find the value of sin 38°, ensure

that your calculator is operating in
degrees.
 SOLUTION

Press sin 38

= 0.615661475
 SOLUTION

The calculator should give

sin 38° = 0.616,
correct to three decimal places.
Finding an angle
given the ratio.
 Finding an angle given the ratio.

In finding the size of the angle to

the nearest minute, given the value
of the trigonometric ratio, just
follow the steps in the examples.
 EXAMPLE

sin θ = 0.725, find θ to the nearest

minute
 SOLUTION
SHIF
Press sin 0.725
T
¿ 46.46884783
 SOLUTION

To convert this to
degrees/minutes/seconds mode,
 SOLUTION

Press °'"
4628’7.85"
 SOLUTION

The calculator gives you 46° 28’

(nearest minute)
Degrees and
Minutes
 Degrees and Minutes

All angles have been in whole

degrees. However, one degree can
be divided equally into 60 minutes.
 Degrees and Minutes
Further, one minute can be divided
equally into 60 seconds. Angle
measurement
can also be expressed in
degree/minutes form.
 Degrees and Minutes

We can use a calculator to convert a

degree measure from decimal form
to degree, minute, and second form.
 EXAMPLE

Write 54.46° in degree and minutes,

giving an answer correct to the
nearest minute.
 SOLUTION

Press 54.46 °'"

 SOLUTION

The calculator gives 54°27’36.00”,

or 54°28’.
(nearest minute)
GROUP ACTIVITY
GROUP ACTIVITY

Solve the following.

Use calculator.
 01
Use your calculator to find the
value of the following, correct to
two decimal places.
 01

A. cos 85° B. sin 7°

 02
Using the degrees/minutes/seconds
button on your calculator, write
each of the following in degrees and
minutes, give answers to the nearest
minute.
 02

A. cos 17.8° B. sin 48.52°

 03

Find the size of the angle θ (to the

nearest degree) where θ is acute.
 03
A. sin θ = 0.529

B. cos θ = 0.493
ANSWERS
 01

A. cos 85° B. sin 7°

 01
A. cos 85° B. sin 7°

0.09 0.12
*Press cos 85° *Press sin 7°
 02

A. cos 17.8° B. sin 48.52°

 02
A. cos 17.8° B. sin 48.52°

17°48’ 48°31’
*Press 17.8 = °'" *Press 48.52 = °'"
 03
A. sin θ = 0.529

B. cos θ = 0.493
 03
A. sin θ = 0.529 32°
B. cos θ = 0.493 60°
*Press shift sin 0.529 = °'" *Press shift cos 0.493 = °'"
Solving a Right Triangle
Given the Length of the
Hypotenuse and the
Measure of
One Acute Angle
 EXAMPLE

Triangle BCA is right-angled at C if

c = 27 and ∠A = 58°, find ∠B, b,
and a.
SOLUTION
a. To find B, since B and ∠A are
complementary angles, then

∠B + ∠A = 90°
SOLUTION

∠B + ∠A = 90°
∠B = 90° 58°
∠B = 32°
SOLUTION
b. To find b, since b is the adjacent
side of ∠A and c is the hypotenuse
of right ΔBCA, then use CAH.
SOLUTION

cos θ =

cos θ =
SOLUTION

cos θ =

cos 58° =
SOLUTION

cos 58° =

b = 27 cos 58°
SOLUTION

b = 27 cos 58°

b = 27 (0.5299)
SOLUTION

b = 27 (0.5299)

b = 14.31
SOLUTION
c. To find a, since a is the opposite
side of ∠A and c is the hypotenuse
of right ΔBCA, then
use SOH.
SOLUTION

sin θ =

sin θ =
SOLUTION

sin θ =

sin 58° =
SOLUTION

sin 58° =

a = 27 sin 58°
SOLUTION

a = 27 sin 58°

a = 27 (0.8480)
SOLUTION

a = 27 (0.8480)

a = 22.90
SOLUTION ∠B = 32°
Therefore,
a = 22.90

b = 14.31
 EXAMPLE

Solve the missing side of the right

triangle given.
SOLUTION
To find the missing side, since the
missing side is the opposite side of
the given angle and 20 is the
hypotenuse of right triangle, then
use SOH.
SOLUTION

sin θ =

sin θ =
SOLUTION

sin θ =

sin 45° =
SOLUTION

sin 45° =

a = 20 sin 45°
SOLUTION

a = 20 sin 45°

a = 20 (0.7071)
SOLUTION

a = 20 (0.7071)

a = 14.14
SOLUTION

Therefore, the measure of

the missing part is

14.14
GROUP ACTIVITY
 GROUP ACTIVITY

Solve the following. Use calculator.

 GROUP ACTIVITY

To be safe, a 20 ft-ladder should not

incline more than 70° angle with
the ground.
 GROUP ACTIVITY

Suppose the ladder is leaned

against a wall at this angle, as
shown on the next slide.
 GROUP ACTIVITY

Find (a) the distance b from the

base of the wall to the foot of the
ladder and (b) the height a reached
by the ladder.
ANSWER
 ANSWER

a = 6.84 ft.
b = 18.79 ft.