Question

How would you solve the following geometry problem?:

∆PQR, find the measure of ∡P.

In Triangle PQR where angle Q is a right angle. QR measures 33 point 8; PQ measures 57 point 6; measure of angle P is unknown.

Answers:
30.4°

35.9°

54.1°

59.6°

What I did:
equation: tan(x) = 33.8/57.6
tan(x)=0.56
But I know that isn't correct.

Answer 1

What you did is correct. However the one you get is the tangent value of x. you have to find out the tan inverse of that value to find out the actual degree.

tan(x) = 33.8 / 57.6
tan(x) = 0.587
x = tan^-1 (0.587)
x = 30.4 degrees