# Math Help - Work out the Angle of Alpha??

1. ## Work out the Angle of Alpha??

Can someone help me find out this question!!
Theres a right angled triangle and all i know is 36 is my hypotineuze and a 6x6 Box fits inside it. The top angle is alpha.
Can u explain it aswell!! Thx.

2. Does this mean either the opposite or adjacent sides are 6?

3. Hello, Pieboyrules!

There's a right triangle and the hypotenuse is 36.
And a 6x6 box fits inside it. The top angle is alpha.
Can u explain it as well?

I'm guessing that the diagram looks like this . . .

Code:
      *
|α *
|     *
*--------*  36
|    6   |  *
|        |     *
6|        |6       *
|    6   |           *
*--------*--------------*

Now what is the question?

4. Soroban, the question is what is the angle of alpha?? But i would like the workings as well so that i can understand it!!

5. Originally Posted by Pieboyrules
Soroban, the question is what is the angle of alpha?? But i would like the workings as well so that i can understand it!!
1. Draw a sketch

2. You are dealing with a right triangle:

$(y+6)^2+(x+6)^2=36^2$

3. You have two similar triangles. Use proportion:

$\dfrac x6 = \dfrac6y$

4. Solve for x or y.

5. Use the tan-function to determine the value of the angle $\alpha$