Suppose in a right triangle, cos(t)=3/4. How do you find: cot(t)?

Answer 1

#cot(t)=3/sqrt(7)#

Starting from the fundamental equation

#sin^2(t)+cos^2(t) = 1#

we can deduce

#sin(t) = \pm\sqrt(1-cos^2(t)#

So, in our case,

#sin(t) = \pm\sqrt(1-9/16) =\pm\sqrt(7/16)#
Actually, we have #sin(t) =\sqrt(7/16) = sqrt(7)/4#
In fact, since #t# is an an angle of a right triangle, it must be acute: the inner angles of a triangle sum to #pi#, but since one angle is right, the other two must sum to #pi/2#, and thus they are acute.

An acute angle lies in the first quadrant, where both sine and cosine are positive, hence the choice of the sign.

Now that we know both sine and cosine, we can compute the cotangent by its definition:

#cot(t) = cos(t)/sin(t) = (3/4)/(sqrt(7)/4) = 3/cancel(4) * cancel(4)/sqrt(7) = 3/sqrt(7)#
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Answer 2

To find cotangent (cot) of an angle given the cosine (cos) value:

  1. Use the trigonometric identity: cot(t) = 1 / tan(t)
  2. Since cos(t) = adjacent / hypotenuse, in this case, it's 3/4.
  3. Use the Pythagorean theorem to find the missing side of the triangle.
  4. Then, find tangent (tan) of the angle using the ratio of the opposite side to the adjacent side.
  5. Finally, find the cotangent (cot) by taking the reciprocal of tangent.

So, in this case:

  1. ( \text{tan}(t) = \frac{\text{opp}}{\text{adj}} = \frac{\sqrt{4^2 - 3^2}}{3} = \frac{\sqrt{16 - 9}}{3} = \frac{\sqrt{7}}{3} )

  2. ( \text{cot}(t) = \frac{1}{\text{tan}(t)} = \frac{1}{\frac{\sqrt{7}}{3}} = \frac{3}{\sqrt{7}} )

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Answer from HIX Tutor

When evaluating a one-sided limit, you need to be careful when a quantity is approaching zero since its sign is different depending on which way it is approaching zero from. Let us look at some examples.

When evaluating a one-sided limit, you need to be careful when a quantity is approaching zero since its sign is different depending on which way it is approaching zero from. Let us look at some examples.

When evaluating a one-sided limit, you need to be careful when a quantity is approaching zero since its sign is different depending on which way it is approaching zero from. Let us look at some examples.

When evaluating a one-sided limit, you need to be careful when a quantity is approaching zero since its sign is different depending on which way it is approaching zero from. Let us look at some examples.

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