# Math Help - cos (180 - theta) = 8

1. ## cos (180 - theta) = 8

hello,

I'm working on a question involving resolving forces in equilibrium.

I don't know if I've been doing it right, but I've ended up with:

cos (180 - theta) = 8

Theta is an angle that I need to find.

Is there any way of manipulating the above in order to find theta?

2. Originally Posted by protractor
hello,

I'm working on a question involving resolving forces in equilibrium.

I don't know if I've been doing it right, but I've ended up with:

cos (180 - theta) = 8

Theta is an angle that I need to find.

Is there any way of manipulating the above in order to find theta?
maximum of $\cos(180 - \theta)$ is 1, so there is no way $\cos(180 - \theta) = 8$

3. ## thanks

Originally Posted by dedust
maximum of $\cos(180 - \theta)$ is 1, so there is no way $\cos(180 - \theta) = 8$
Thanks for that useful information Dedust, I can definitely abandon that route then! I've actually realised now that I can actually tackle the question using good old Pythagoras, so simple, yet so useful!