In response to my previous question, I tried 115 tan 78.3. But I got -28.1. Is my calculator on the wrong setting or did I type it in wrong?
Change your calculator setting to 'degrees'
your answer tells me you have it set for radians.
Some models have a DRG button, for others you will have to go to MODE
To verify if you entered the expression correctly or if your calculator is on the wrong setting, let's break down the calculation step-by-step.
The expression you entered is: 115 tan 78.3
The first step is to convert the angle from degrees to radians. The calculator usually works with radians, so we need to convert 78.3 degrees to radians.
To convert degrees to radians, you can use the formula:
radians = degrees * (π/180)
In this case, we have:
radians = 78.3 * (π/180)
Now, let's calculate the value of radians:
radians ≈ 1.362
Now, using the tangent function, we can find the result of the expression:
115 * tan(radians)
Calculating this expression, we get approximately -176.77.
Comparing this result with what you obtained (-28.1), it seems that you either entered the values incorrectly or had your calculator set to the wrong mode.
To ensure accurate calculations, please make sure your calculator is set to the correct mode (degrees or radians) and double-check your input values.