what i am doing wrong?


I can't figure out how on this page you get (5 x cos(36.87)=4


http://www.allaboutcircuits.com/vol_2/chpt_2/5.html


i forgot how to do this. any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

Look at it as basic right angle triangle trigonometry:

hypotenuse =5

cathetus =4 , the second cathetus=3

The angle between the hypotenuse and cathetus is 36.87.
So, from trigonometry we know that:

cos(36.87)=4/5.

or

5*cos(36.87)=4

Hope that helps

 

good answer

 

what i am doing wrong?
I can't figure out how on this page you get (5 x cos(36.87)=4

Well, I don't get 4. I get 3.9999941