neverforgetvivistee HOW DO YOU KNOW WHICH SIDE THETA SHOULD BE ON?? 2 years ago 2 years ago

1. neverforgetvivistee

IN A TRIANGLE

2. neverforgetvivistee

for basic trig ratios it does

3. bob06

i think. draw a picture and show me your triangle

4. neverforgetvivistee

|dw:1322533988575:dw|

5. neverforgetvivistee

sin C

6. neverforgetvivistee

what's an easy way to figure out the opposite or adjacent?

7. bob06

The two sides making an angle are adjacent to the angle. The third side, the one that doesn't touch the angle, is the opposite side.

8. yakeyglee

The adjacent leg is a non-hypotenuse side that shares the angle. For instance, $$\angle BAC$$ has the adjacent side $$\overline{BA}$$ and thus opposite side $$\overline{BC}$$.

9. bob06

opposite is across from the angle and adjacent is the sides touching the angle.

10. neverforgetvivistee

but they're both touching the angle

11. neverforgetvivistee

but that's the hypotenuse?

12. neverforgetvivistee

opposite and adjacent sides are both touching the angle

13. bob06

oo. sry

14. yakeyglee

That was a bad example. $$\overline{BC}$$ is not touching $$\angle BAC$$.

15. neverforgetvivistee

what?

16. neverforgetvivistee

yakeyglee can you explain it for 5 year olds because i don't get what you typed

17. neverforgetvivistee

The adjacent leg is a non-hypotenuse side that shares the angle. For instance, ∠BAC has the adjacent side BA−−− and thus opposite side BC−−−.

18. neverforgetvivistee

19. yakeyglee

Do you see how $$\overline{BC}$$ is NOT touching $$\angle BAC$$?

20. neverforgetvivistee

<bac? the angle whole angle or just one part?

21. yakeyglee

What do you mean just part of the angle? The angle formed by points B, A, and C, with A being the vertex. The angle at point A.

22. neverforgetvivistee

|dw:1322534541597:dw| like this?

23. yakeyglee

Correct!

24. yakeyglee

However, we're considering just the angle part, not the sides itself. The actual angle part (where the bend is) is opposite $$\overline{BC}$$, yes?

25. neverforgetvivistee

yes... but how do you know that bend part is the opposite? what about the other side where C is?

26. neverforgetvivistee

|dw:1322534666075:dw|

27. yakeyglee

That one is adjacent to $$\overline{BC}$$ because it literally lies right next to $$\overline{BC}$$.

28. yakeyglee

Whereas $$\angle BAC$$ does not.

29. neverforgetvivistee

so bc is where your angle lies? why not ba?

30. yakeyglee

$$\overline{BC}$$ is the leg next to $$\angle BCA$$ so thus it is the adjacent side to $$\angle BCA$$. The other leg ($$\overline{BA}$$) is NOT next to $$\angle BCA$$ so therefore it is the opposite leg.

31. neverforgetvivistee

why is bca important? is it because it has the hypotenuse?

32. yakeyglee

No, because it's an angle in the triangle that's not the right-angle!

33. neverforgetvivistee

34. neverforgetvivistee

please don't give up on me :( i have a huge test tomorrow and i'll get an F if i don't get this

35. yakeyglee

Look at this picture and just memorize which sides correspond to which terms relative to the labeled angle. Beware that the letters are labeled slightly different in this picture than yours (so you must be able to identify which is which without angles and sides labeled -- if someone points to an angle in a right triangle, you should be able to say which is the adjacent and which is the opposite.). I honestly don't know how to explain this any clearer. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_mVk-nEnsSXI/S_UDj_mE8lI/AAAAAAAAADI/X9ULOiOGIJ0/s1600/tric.png

36. yakeyglee

The labeled angle in that image would be your $$\theta$$.