# Ratios homework problem

1. Feb 4, 2008

### chocolatelover

Hi,

1. The problem statement, all variables and given/known data

Find every angle θ between 0 and 360° for which the ratio of sin θ to cos θ is -3.00. (Round your answer to the nearest degree.)

2. Relevant equations

3. The attempt at a solution

I used the unit circle and took the x value divided by the y value and none of them were -3. Is that how you would do it?

thank you very much

2. Feb 4, 2008

### rock.freak667

the ratio of sin to cos is the same as $\frac{sin\theta}{cos\theta}$

Do you know any other trig identity that is the same as that?

3. Feb 4, 2008

### chocolatelover

Thank you very much

That's the same thing as tangent, right? So, I just need to find out which tangent of a degree between 0 and 360 is -3, right? I tried that and everything is either 1 or a decimal number.

Thank you

4. Feb 4, 2008

### rock.freak667

Yes it is the same as tan$\theta$

Well arctan(3) is a decimal number so just approximate the value.

5. Feb 4, 2008

### chocolatelover

But it has to be equal to 3, right? You could also use Arctan?

Thank you

6. Feb 5, 2008

### rock.freak667

In which quadrants is tan negative? Then the acute angle is arctan(3).

7. Feb 5, 2008

### chocolatelover

Thank you very much

The arctan(3)=1.249. Could you please explain to me how I could find the smallest one and the largest one?

Thank you

8. Feb 5, 2008

### rock.freak667

arctan(3) is the acute angle (A) that lies in the first quadrant. Tan is negative in the 2nd and fourth quadrant. How do you think you would find the angle made by something in the 2nd quadrant?(Hint: the sum of the angles at a point on a straight line is 190)

9. Feb 5, 2008

### chocolatelover

Thank you very much

Isn't 180? So, wouldn't you take 180-1.249?

So the largest angle would be 178.751 and the smallest would be 1.249?

Thank you

10. Feb 5, 2008

### rock.freak667

1.249 is radians,180 is in degrees....

180 degrees is equivalent to pi radians.

So you would take $\pi -1.249$

11. Feb 5, 2008

### chocolatelover

Thank you

So, in degrees it would be 71.565 or 72 and 108.435 or 108, right?

Thank you very much

12. Feb 5, 2008

### rock.freak667

The other answer is in quadrant 4. How would you find the angle made by something in the 4th quadrant? (measuring the angle anti-clockwise and the sum of the angles in a circle is 360)

13. Feb 5, 2008

### chocolatelover

Would you just take 360-108?

14. Feb 5, 2008

### rock.freak667

You would take 360-arctan(3)

15. Feb 5, 2008

### chocolatelover

Thank you very much

Regards