Verbogeometry -- Installment V --- With Trigonometry

2.4. Verbogeometry with Trigonometry: First let us solve a pertinent traditional trigonometric problem, which requires a solution for an angle. Let us make 'theta' the variable of the angle in question. The tangent of a right triangle is defined as the ratio of the side opposite the angle 'theta' to the side adjacent to the angle 'theta'. If we call the side opposite distance "y" and the side adjacent as distance "x" we then arrive at tan (angle theta) = y/x (See figure 16)


Figure 16.

It also follows that if we know the distance of two sides of a right triangle we can find all the angles. Let us look at an example with the side opposite angle theta being 3 and the side adjacent to angle theta being 4 and. Let us now solve for the angle theta. We know that y/x = tan (theta) so it follows ¾ = tan (theta). To uncover the value of theta, we must take the inverse tangent of ¾. Symbolically this is stated as "theta = inverse tan(y/x)" or approximately 36.87 degrees (See figure 17).


Figure 17.

In general, to reveal the angle after you have calculated the value for the tangent of y/x, your choice is to find the angle on a trigonometric table (old method) or you plug the values in on a hand held calculator.
Now let us look at a similar expression using verbogeometry and looking for the value of angle theta. This time we define the y distance as the difference between the concepts of barren and infertile (think number-line again) and let us define the x distance as the difference between the concepts of infertile and fertile. (See figure 18)


Figure 18.

If we want to know the angle of theta we have to take the inverse tangent of y/x or the inverse tangent of (barren - infertile)/(fertile - infertile) (see figure 18)