Question about finding the sin of a number on a scientific calculator

I don't understand how to get the sin of .5.  My instructor says that the sin of .5 is 30 but I am not coming up with that. 

 

Hi I hear you frustration :)

 

It is the other way around

 

sin of 30 degrees is 0.5

 

If you want to go backwards. You have the answer 0.5 and you want to know sin of what =0.5 then you have to use

 

Inverse sin 0.5 = 30degrees         displayed as       \(sin^{-1}(0.5)=30^\circ \)

 OR    arcsin 0.5 = 30degrees       displayed as        \(asin(0.5)=30^\circ\)

 

So on this calc (and most other calcs) you press     [2nd] [sin^-1]0.5 =

 

on this calc you can also just type in   asin(0.5)=

 

Some calcs need the brackets others don't

 

BUT

Make sure you calculator is set to degrees.  

On the web2 calc there is a angle toggle at the bottom so you can set it to degrees or radians :)