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Storing the value into the calculator and not using the triangle - Mechanics 1 - Edex

Hi guys, whenever I get questions where the angle is given as tan(x) = 3/4 (most of the times) or in a similar form, I tend to store the value of the angle on my calculator without having to draw a triangle as shown below.
ImageUploadedByStudent Room1401979664.872355.jpg
Suppose I store this value on my calculator for A. Now every time I use the angle in my working out, I simply just put in A.

Random Example

1) How it would look to the examiner who is marking my work: T = (9.8*5) + 5cos(36.9)

2) How it would look on my calculator: (9.8*5) + 5cos(A)

I get a precise answer to the correct significant figures or decimal places. So will I lose any marks for not using the triangle and also, I have rounded the angle to 3 significant figures in 1), will I be awarded full marks?

Thank You very much.


Posted from TSR Mobile
Original post by 06awaism
Hi guys, whenever I get questions where the angle is given as tan(x) = 3/4 (most of the times) or in a similar form, I tend to store the value of the angle on my calculator without having to draw a triangle as shown below.
ImageUploadedByStudent Room1401979664.872355.jpg
Suppose I store this value on my calculator for A. Now every time I use the angle in my working out, I simply just put in A.

Random Example

1) How it would look to the examiner who is marking my work: T = (9.8*5) + 5cos(36.9)

2) How it would look on my calculator: (9.8*5) + 5cos(A)

I get a precise answer to the correct significant figures or decimal places. So will I lose any marks for not using the triangle and also, I have rounded the angle to 3 significant figures in 1), will I be awarded full marks?

Thank You very much.


Posted from TSR Mobile


I am a bit confused by what you are asking
I am not sure why you would write the angle in your working ever - the reason they use a 3,4,5 triangle is so that the values of cos(x) and Sin(x)
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Avatar for 06awaism
06awaism
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What if I don't want to use the triangle at all and just work with the given angle by using the method above where I just store the value of the angle into the calculator. Me not using the triangle, will I lose marks? Sorry for the confusion caused. I still may not make sense to you so do excuse me. Only if I could practically demonstrate it to you but never mind.
Thank you for your reply.


Posted from TSR Mobile
Original post by 06awaism
What if I don't want to use the triangle at all and just work with the given angle by using the method above where I just store the value of the angle into the calculator. Me not using the triangle, will I lose marks? Sorry for the confusion caused. I still may not make sense to you so do excuse me. Only if I could practically demonstrate it to you but never mind. It's not clear if you're just talking about a 3/4/5 triangle. If you are, in that case it's hard to get past the fact that if tan A = 3/4 you should immediately know that cos A = 4/5 and sin A = 3/5.

Couldn't say if you would actually lose marks for it, but it certainly would leave me thinking you didn't know your basic trig very well. (ProTip: try not to make the examiner think you don't know what you're doing).

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