Insights Physical Applications of the “Tan Rule”

AI Thread Summary
The discussion highlights the "tan rule," which is often overlooked in trigonometry education despite its utility in solving triangles. It is particularly effective when two sides and the included angle are known, allowing for a more straightforward calculation of the remaining angles. Unlike the sine and cosine rules, which require additional steps to find the third side before proceeding, the tan rule simplifies the process. The article aims to demonstrate the practical applications of this rule in various scenarios. Overall, the tan rule can enhance problem-solving efficiency in trigonometry.
neilparker62
Science Advisor
Homework Helper
Insights Author
Messages
1,191
Reaction score
683
Introduction
Every secondary school student who has encountered trigonometry in his/her Math syllabus will most likely have come across the sine, cosine, and area rules which are typically used to solve triangles in which certain information is supplied and the remainder are to be calculated. Somewhat surprisingly (because it is relatively simple to derive), the “tan rule” is generally not included as part of this particular set of trig tools. Yet, as we hope to demonstrate in this article, this rule can be extremely useful in certain circumstances. Specifically in the instance where two sides and an included angle of a triangle are given.  In this situation, it is impossible to immediately apply the sine rule to determine the remaining angles since neither of the given sides is opposite the given angle. The cosine rule must first be applied to determine the third side and thereafter the sine rule for either (or both) of the remaining angles. However, the tan rule enables us to...

Continue reading...
 
Last edited by a moderator:
  • Like
Likes sophiecentaur, jedishrfu and Charles Link
Mathematics news on Phys.org
Thank you for a very informative article
 
  • Like
Likes neilparker62
Thread 'Video on imaginary numbers and some queries'
Hi, I was watching the following video. I found some points confusing. Could you please help me to understand the gaps? Thanks, in advance! Question 1: Around 4:22, the video says the following. So for those mathematicians, negative numbers didn't exist. You could subtract, that is find the difference between two positive quantities, but you couldn't have a negative answer or negative coefficients. Mathematicians were so averse to negative numbers that there was no single quadratic...
Thread 'Unit Circle Double Angle Derivations'
Here I made a terrible mistake of assuming this to be an equilateral triangle and set 2sinx=1 => x=pi/6. Although this did derive the double angle formulas it also led into a terrible mess trying to find all the combinations of sides. I must have been tired and just assumed 6x=180 and 2sinx=1. By that time, I was so mindset that I nearly scolded a person for even saying 90-x. I wonder if this is a case of biased observation that seeks to dis credit me like Jesus of Nazareth since in reality...
Fermat's Last Theorem has long been one of the most famous mathematical problems, and is now one of the most famous theorems. It simply states that the equation $$ a^n+b^n=c^n $$ has no solutions with positive integers if ##n>2.## It was named after Pierre de Fermat (1607-1665). The problem itself stems from the book Arithmetica by Diophantus of Alexandria. It gained popularity because Fermat noted in his copy "Cubum autem in duos cubos, aut quadratoquadratum in duos quadratoquadratos, et...

Similar threads

Back
Top