Question

Please Help. I really don’t get this concept, if you could explain it in detail it would be very appreciated

Answer 1

Answer: 24/25

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Explanation:

Sine is given to be negative, and so is tangent. This only happens in quadrant Q4

Recall that y = sin(theta), so if sin(theta) < 0, then we're below the x axis.

If tan(theta) < 0, then this means cos(theta) > 0

So we have y < 0 and x > 0 which places the angle somewhere in Q4.

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Draw a right triangle as shown below in the attached image. We have AC = 25 and BC = 7. Use the pythagorean theorem to find that AB = 24

So this is what your steps may look like

a^2+b^2 = c^2

7^2+b^2 = 25^2

b^2+49 = 625

b^2 = 625-49

b^2 = 576

b = sqrt(576)

b = 24

So because AB = 24, we know that the cosine of the angle is adjacent/hypotenuse = 24/25

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As an alternative, you could use the trig identity

sin^2(x) + cos^2(x) = 1

and plug in the given value of sine to solve for cosine. The cosine value result will be positive since we're in Q4.

So,

sin^2(x) + cos^2(x) = 1

(-7/25)^2 + cos^2(x) = 1

(49/625) + cos^2(x) = 1

cos^2(x) = 1 - (49/625)

cos^2(x) = (625/625) - (49/625)

cos^2(x) = (625-49)/625

cos^2(x) = 576/625

cos(x) = sqrt(576/625)

cos(x) = sqrt(576)/sqrt(625)

cos(x) = 24/25

This is effectively a rephrasing of the previous section since the pythagorean trig identity is more or less the pythagorean theorem (just in a trig form)