Question

Solve for x in the triangle. Round your answer to the nearest tenth.

Answer 1

Answer:

x = 5.5 to the nearest tenth.

Step-by-step explanation:

Here we have a right triangle with one angle (65 degrees) given.  Side x is the "side adjacent to the angle" and is to be found.  The hypotenuse is 13.

The cosine function makes use of these three knowns:  the angle, the hypotenuse and the adjacent side.  Thus:

cos 65 degrees = adj / hyp = x / 13, or

x = 13 cos 65

Evaluating this on a calculator, we get  x = 5.49, or x = 5.5 to the nearest tenth.