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Pandemics, Trig and M.A.G.I.C.
We could not control the Pandemic, but we decided not to let the Pandemic control us, either. Yes, it was devastating, but I decided to follow the theory that in every problem, there is the seed of an equivalent or greater benefit.
If only I could find it.
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So after much stumbling, I figured out how to find angles on a scientific calculator using Trig. And was able to walk Jason through it yesterday. He’s never been hot on tutors, but seems more willing to accept it from me. I wonder if part of that isn’t “If I have to suffer, so do you”.
A big breakthrough was the realization that the calculator wasn’t going to take a fraction…it had to be a decimal, so I had to convert the fraction BEFORE hitting the negative function. Oh…and I had to figure out that pushing “2nd” got the negative Cos, Sin, and Tan stuff. Actually I didn’t figure that out, a FB friend suggested it.
Oh…and yet another realization was that if I first converted the fraction to a decimal and then directly pushed the -Tan function, I got the angle! That saved a step, made it clearer what was needed. Was able to create a “flow chart” for getting the answers, as follows:
- Draw the triangle and label the sides.
- Decide what equation was needed: Sine, Cosine, Tangent if looking for length, their negatives if seeking an angle.
- Apply the numbers to the equation (say, negative Cosine equals Adjacent divided by Hypotenuse)