Trig formulas

[thetank]

I am trying to write a formula to calculate the height of a side of a right triangle, where the height = (length of the base * slope of hypotenuse).

I would like to be able to enter the length of the base and the slope of the hypotenuse and then have excel calculate the height in 5 foot increments and also give the height for the "leftover" section. Ie if you have a 13 ft base, I want the heights at 5 and 10 ft and also 13 ft.

I know the formulas, I just don't know how to make excel take the initial length and then automatically increment.


Any help will be greatly appreciated.

 

[Oaktree]

Assuming you have a right triangle

Remember SOHCAHTOA (So-Ka-Toe-A)?

Sine = opposite / hypotenuse
Cosine = adjacent / hypotenuse
Tangent = opposite / adjacent

You should be able to figure out your pieces from those formulas.

Remember that EXCEL's sin(), cos(), and tan() functions are in radians.

So, Sin(60 degrees) = sin(60*pi()/180) in Excel.

 

[Mark W.]

My day is complete... Trigonometry!

 

[Oaktree]

LOL, Mark

 

[thetank]

I know the formulas, but how do I get excel to break up the calculations? Say I have a right triangle that is 14 ft long and I want to know the heights of triangles within the 14 foot triangle. Say I want to know the height at 5 feet along the base, 10 ft along the base and 14 ft. How can I have excel break it up in even 5ft increments as well as giving the final height at 14 ft?

Thanks

 

[Oaktree]

See if this helps:

What you're saying, in terms of the formuals I gave you, is that you know the angle of the triangle and the length of the adjacent side. You're trying to figure out the length of the opposite side.

 

[Mark W.]

You're in good hands with Oaktree. I'll let him/her finish up.

Benbrook... that's oil country, isn't it?

 

[Oaktree]

Him. Thanks for the compliment.

Isn't all of Texas oil country?

 

[thetank]

No, no oil. At least not in my backyard.

Thanks for your help before with the military look up tables. I pretty much have it dressed up like I want it and it works.

 

[Mark W.]

Nope. There's no oil around these parts -- just politicians, movie directors, musicians, and techies.