Hello. The questions I have is

Evaluate cot 45° without using a calculator by using ratios in a reference triangle.

I can figure out how to do it with cos, but not cot. I assume I'm missing something really simple on this. If you could please explain to me how I get this answer, I would really appreciate it. Thank you.

Originally Posted by RiderMind

Hello. The questions I have is
Evaluate cot 45° without using a calculator by using ratios in a reference triangle.

Hint $\displaystyle \sin(45^o)=\cos(45^o)~.$

Hint: your reference triangle will be a right isosceles triangle.

I'm sorry guys, I'm still completely lost.

cot 45° = cotangens 45° = cos(45°)/sin(45°) = ((sqrt(2)/2)/(sqrt(2)/2))=1

Originally Posted by RiderMind

I'm sorry guys, I'm still completely lost.

You had best learn some very basic trigonometry .

$\displaystyle cot(\theta)=\frac{\cos(\theta)}{\sin(\theta)}~.$