kitty<3

Hello helpmeplease,

That is a common problem with trig functions on calculators. Check that your calculator mode is in degrees, not radians.

Radians are just another way of measuring an angle in pi, so they will show up as small decimal answers.  For most problems you want to use degrees.

On my Ti-84 graphing calculator, I go to "Mode" then go down to the third row and select "Degree" On this site's calculator, you can select "Deg" or "Rad" in the bottom left corner:)

Use the Quadratic Formula:

a = 1

b = - 0.0000012328828

c = -0.00000000000187

Plug those values in on a calculator/paper if you're really bored, and

x =

0.0000021164413998779866    or  -0.0000008835585998779867

LOL CPhill!

Hello helpmeplease,

For this problem, you would use the tangent of 30 degrees. (it is the trig function of opposite/adjacent.)

It helps to first draw out the triangle, which would look something like:

(pretend the nest is at the top of the tree)

You know the angle is 30 deg, and the height is 6. So:

tan(30) = opp/adj

tan(30) = 6/x

Multiply both sides by x.

* tan(30) = 6

Divide both sides by tan(30).

x = 6/ tan(30)

$${\frac{{\mathtt{6}}}{\underset{\,\,\,\,^{\textcolor[rgb]{0.66,0.66,0.66}{360^\circ}}}{{tan}}{\left({\mathtt{30}}^\circ\right)}}} = {\mathtt{10.392\: \!304\: \!845\: \!406\: \!527\: \!5}}$$

So the horizontal distance from the nest to you would be about 10.4 meters:)

Provided that there are no parentheses in this problem, the order of operations would be as follows:

Division/multiplication first, then addition/subtraction.

Divide 5/25

= 0.2

Multiply by 100

= 20

Subtract answer from 25

= 5

If you meant to do the subtraction first, you would need to put parentheses around it:)

The simplest way is by factoring, and quadratics can be solved with the Quadratic Formula. One of the simpler ways for factoring polynomials would be synthetic division. Of course, you can graph the equation, but the roots are sometimes unclear on graphs.

This site should explain it more in depth: http://www.mathsisfun.com/algebra/polynomials-solving.html

To find the area of a trapezoid, use this formula:  $${\mathtt{A}} = {\mathtt{h}}{\mathtt{\,\times\,}}\left({\frac{\left({\mathtt{b1}}{\mathtt{\,\small\textbf+\,}}{\mathtt{b2}}\right)}{{\mathtt{2}}}}\right)$$

H is the height of the trapezoid, and b₁ and b₂ are the lengths of the top and bottom bases.

Hi CPhill!

I think cburns means the same side interior angles on two parallel lines cut by a transversal line:)

Hey cburns,

It would be a lot easier for the answers to help you out with your questions if you made them more specific so we know what you're asking for:)

Same side interior angles are supplementery, so they equal 180 when added together.

Therefore, if the top is 75 degrees, the bottom would be 180 - 75 

x = 105 degrees.

Synthetic division is an easier "shortcut" method for dividing polynomials, and only works to find linear factors in factoring polynomials. 

Check out this page for more info as well as examples:)  http://www.purplemath.com/modules/synthdiv.htm