Solving SIN, COS, TAN with a TI-30XA Calculator

  • Context: High School 
  • Thread starter Thread starter ArcherofScience
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Cos Sin Tan
Click For Summary

Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around how to use a TI-30XA calculator to compute the sine, cosine, and tangent of fractions derived from right triangles, specifically focusing on the example of the fraction 16 over 34. Participants share their experiences and seek clarification on the correct usage of the calculator for geometry class.

Discussion Character

  • Homework-related
  • Technical explanation
  • Conceptual clarification

Main Points Raised

  • One participant expresses confusion about how to input fractions into the calculator to find sine, cosine, and tangent values.
  • Another participant suggests calculating the fraction first and then using the sine function, which is confirmed to work by the original poster.
  • There is a caution raised regarding the calculator's mode (degrees vs. radians) and how it affects the sine calculation, with a suggestion to verify the mode by testing sin(90).
  • A later reply questions the appropriateness of calculating the sine of a fraction directly, emphasizing that sine typically applies to angles rather than ratios.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally agree on the method of calculating the sine of a fraction after computing the fraction itself, but there is disagreement regarding the interpretation of what the sine function represents in this context, particularly concerning angles versus ratios.

Contextual Notes

Some participants mention the importance of understanding the distinction between degrees and radians, as well as the implications of using sine with a fraction versus an angle. There is also a lack of consensus on whether it is appropriate to calculate the sine of a fraction directly.

Who May Find This Useful

Students learning about trigonometric functions and their applications in geometry, particularly those using a TI-30XA calculator.

ArcherofScience
Messages
36
Reaction score
2
Hello,

I'm having some problems. So for geometry class today, the teacher taught us this COS, SIN, TAN stuff. I got the concept how to get the fractions from the triangle and everything. Problem is how to plug it in the calculator. I have a basic TI-30XA, and I'm trying to plug in fractions for the SIN, COS, and TAN, but I have no clue how to plug it in easily. For example the fraction : 16 over 34. How do I get the SIN of it?

Its really urgent someone replies back. I have been trying all night, and I have a chemistry test tomorrow, so I can't spend all my time working on geometry just to plug in something in the calculator.

Thanks,

ArcherofScience
 
Physics news on Phys.org
Just calculate 16/34 with you calculator and then hit the SIN button.
 
micromass said:
Just calculate 16/34 with you calculator and then hit the SIN button.
I tried it, it worked! Thankyou thankyou thankyou soooo much. Your like the coolest person yet! I feel like a complete idiot not even realizing that it was this simple. Thankyou you saved my life tonight with Homework. Woohoo! :D.

thanks Micromass.
 
Do be careful. Your calculator probably calculates the sine of an angle in degrees. You can check by putting in sin(90). If it outputs 1, then your calculator is set to degrees. This is ok if your geometry homework deals with degrees. But sometimes you need another thing called "radians". If you want to calculate the sine of something in radians then you should adjust your calculator.

If you don't know what a radian is, then just ignore this post.
 
micromass said:
Do be careful. Your calculator probably calculates the sine of an angle in degrees. You can check by putting in sin(90). If it outputs 1, then your calculator is set to degrees. This is ok if your geometry homework deals with degrees. But sometimes you need another thing called "radians". If you want to calculate the sine of something in radians then you should adjust your calculator.

If you don't know what a radian is, then just ignore this post.


I looked at my calculator and it says degree on top, so I guess I'm fine. :), thanks again btw.
 
ArcherofScience said:
Hello,

I'm having some problems. So for geometry class today, the teacher taught us this COS, SIN, TAN stuff. I got the concept how to get the fractions from the triangle and everything. Problem is how to plug it in the calculator. I have a basic TI-30XA, and I'm trying to plug in fractions for the SIN, COS, and TAN, but I have no clue how to plug it in easily. For example the fraction : 16 over 34. How do I get the SIN of it?
Are you sure you want to? In working with triangles, you take the sine of an angle and I don't see how that would be got as a fraction. If you have a right triangle with one leg of length 16 and hypotenuse of length 34, then the fraction 16/34 is the sine of the angle opposite that leg. If you were to use the "inverse function" button and "sine", that will give you the inverse sine- giving the angle that has sine equal to 16/34, NOT the sine of 16/34.


Its really urgent someone replies back. I have been trying all night, and I have a chemistry test tomorrow, so I can't spend all my time working on geometry just to plug in something in the calculator.

Thanks,

ArcherofScience
 

Similar threads

High School Trigonometric Identity involving sin()+cos()
  • · Replies 11 ·
Replies
11
Views
2K
Solving equations of the form ##a\sin\theta+b\cos\theta = c##
  • · Replies 2 ·
Replies
2
Views
3K
High School Understanding the Meaning of Sin, Cos, and Tan in Trigonometry
  • · Replies 23 ·
Replies
23
Views
10K
High School How Do You Derive the Formula for sin(x-y)?
  • · Replies 5 ·
Replies
5
Views
2K
MHB Sum or difference formula (sin, cos, and tan)
  • · Replies 3 ·
Replies
3
Views
2K
High School Some questions regarding the integral of cos(ax), "a" not zero
  • · Replies 17 ·
Replies
17
Views
5K
How do I calculate the derivative of the inverse sin and inverse tan
  • · Replies 10 ·
Replies
10
Views
2K
Undergrad Landscape Fabric Roll
  • · Replies 8 ·
Replies
8
Views
3K
Integral of 1/(a sin^2 x + b sin x cos x + c cos^2 x)
  • · Replies 2 ·
Replies
2
Views
2K
How Does Special Relativity Affect Photon Emission Angles?
  • · Replies 4 ·
Replies
4
Views
2K