Question

Can anyone explain how to do this? The answer isn't as important as the explanation. My teacher gave us a video w/o an example like this so I don't know what to do lol

Answer 1

Answer:

x = 182.53

Step-by-step explanation:

Use trigonometric ratios to find the whole side length (a) adjacent to 20° and the side length (b) adjacent to 57° respectively. Then find the difference. That would give you the value of x. That is: a - b = x

Let's solve.

✍️Finding the whole side length adjacent to 20°:

Opp = 87

Adjacent length = ? = a

$\theta = 20$

Thus,

$tan(\theta) = \frac{opposite}{adjacent}$

Plug in the values

$tan(20) = \frac{87}{a}$

Multiply both sides by a

$tan(20) \times a = \frac{87}{a} \times a$

$tan(20) \times a = 87$

Divide both sides by tan(20)

$\frac{tan(20) \times a}{tan(20)} = \frac{87}{tan(20)}$

$a = \frac{87}{tan(20)}$

$a = 239.03$

Finding the side length adjacent to 57°:

Opp = 87

Adjacent length = ? = b

$\theta = 57$

Thus,

$tan(\theta) = \frac{opposite}{adjacent}$

Plug in the values

$tan(57) = \frac{87}{b}$

Multiply both sides by b

$tan(57) \times b = \frac{87}{b} \times b$

$tan(57) \times b = 87$

Divide both sides by tan(57)

$\frac{tan(57) \times b}{tan(57)} = \frac{87}{tan(57)}$

$b = \frac{87}{tan(57)}$

$b = 56.50$

Therefore:

x = a - b

x = 239.03 - 56.50

x = 182.53