Subjects trigonometry

Missing Side

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Missing Side


1. **State the problem:** We have a right triangle with an angle of 68° and the side opposite this angle is 16 m. We need to find the length of the adjacent side $x$. 2. **Identify the trigonometric function:** Since we know the opposite side and want the adjacent side, we use the tangent function: $$\tan(\theta) = \frac{\text{opposite}}{\text{adjacent}}$$ 3. **Set up the equation:** $$\tan(68^\circ) = \frac{16}{x}$$ 4. **Solve for $x$:** $$x = \frac{16}{\tan(68^\circ)}$$ 5. **Calculate the value:** Using a calculator, $$\tan(68^\circ) \approx 2.4751$$ So, $$x = \frac{16}{2.4751} \approx 6.46$$ 6. **Final answer:** The length of the missing side $x$ is approximately **6.46 m**.