Find the values of x and y. Write your answers in simplified form.
Understand the Problem
The question asks to find the values of x and y in a right triangle given one side and an angle. We will use trigonometric functions to solve for the unknowns.
Answer
$x = 4$, $y = 8$
Answer for screen readers
The values are: $x = 4$
$y = 8$
Steps to Solve
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Identify triangle components In the triangle, the known values are: the angle is $60^\circ$, the opposite side (to angle $60^\circ$) is $4\sqrt{3}$, and we need to find the adjacent side ($x$) and the hypotenuse ($y$).
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Use tangent function for $x$ The tangent function relates the opposite side to the adjacent side: $$ \tan(60^\circ) = \frac{\text{opposite}}{\text{adjacent}} $$ Substituting in our known values: $$ \tan(60^\circ) = \frac{4\sqrt{3}}{x} $$ Since $\tan(60^\circ) = \sqrt{3}$, we have: $$ \sqrt{3} = \frac{4\sqrt{3}}{x} $$
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Solve for $x$ Rearranging the equation for $x$ gives us: $$ x = \frac{4\sqrt{3}}{\sqrt{3}} $$ Simplifying this: $$ x = 4 $$
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Use sine function for $y$ Now, we can use the sine function to find the hypotenuse: $$ \sin(60^\circ) = \frac{\text{opposite}}{\text{hypotenuse}} $$ Substituting in our known values: $$ \sin(60^\circ) = \frac{4\sqrt{3}}{y} $$ Since $\sin(60^\circ) = \frac{\sqrt{3}}{2}$, we have: $$ \frac{\sqrt{3}}{2} = \frac{4\sqrt{3}}{y} $$
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Solve for $y$ Rearranging the equation for $y$ gives us: $$ y = \frac{4\sqrt{3}}{\frac{\sqrt{3}}{2}} $$ Multiplying by the reciprocal: $$ y = 4\sqrt{3} \cdot \frac{2}{\sqrt{3}} $$ Simplifying: $$ y = 8 $$
The values are: $x = 4$
$y = 8$
More Information
In a right triangle, the relationships between the angles and sides are governed by trigonometric functions. Here, we utilized the tangent and sine functions to find the lengths of the unknown sides.
Tips
- Confusing the opposite and adjacent sides: Always identify which side corresponds to each angle.
- Miscalculating the trigonometric functions: Double-check values for sine, cosine, and tangent based on the angle measures.
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