Given tan θ = - 15/8 where 90* ≤ θ ≤ 180*...

Question

a) state the other five trigonometric ratios as fractions

b) determine the value of θ to the nearest degree

Answer 1

Use the Pythagorean theorem to find the hypotenuse = 17

A useful mnemonic: AllSinTanCos tells you which function is positive in which quadrant.

In quadrant 2 the abscissa is negative and the ordinate is positive; the hypotenuse is always +.

Now you have all the information you need to calculate the other 5 trig functions from the definitions.

The angle is simply arctan(-15/8).