Trignometry

[bigtrees]

I just made a sheet of trig equations (real basic ones, how to calculate the legs of a right triangle). It's been years since I've used trig. and I thought I should create a sheet just in case I lock up and forget trig!

 

[sehad]

I just made a sheet of trig equations (real basic ones, how to calculate the legs of a right triangle). It's been years since I've used trig. and I thought I should create a sheet just in case I lock up and forget trig!

Good idea. If you're rusty in trig, you'll definitely use it

 

[IlPadrino]

I just made a sheet of trig equations (real basic ones, how to calculate the legs of a right triangle). It's been years since I've used trig. and I thought I should create a sheet just in case I lock up and forget trig!

My friend, I hate to seem negative... but if you've "forgotten" Pythagorean's theorem you've got bigger problems than just a cheat sheet.

Also, you might consider bringing the FE Reference Handbook (which has your trigonometry formulae) although I don't think you'll find much use for it.

 

[snickerd3]

If your taking the FE, they provide a copy of the reference manual during the test but no other books, notes or references are allowed in...unless things have changed

 

[RIP - VTEnviro]

Good idea. If you're rusty in trig, you'll definitely use it

Remember SOH CAH TOA.

And that the angle = Tan-1(y/x)

 

[bigtrees]

My friend, I hate to seem negative... but if you've "forgotten" Pythagorean's theorem you've got bigger problems than just a cheat sheet.
Also, you might consider bringing the FE Reference Handbook (which has your trigonometry formulae) although I don't think you'll find much use for it.

No, I haven't forgotten Pythagorean. But calculating leg lengths of right triangles - which is incredibly easy to do - I haven't done in several years and any seconds spent remembering how to do this is a waste of time. So I reviewed it and created a little cheat sheat of it in case I lock up during the exam.

I think the point of my post was to say as you're working hard on Rankine and Carnot cycles to also remember to review the easy stuff since the easy stuff will get you as well!

I'm taking the PE, so I haven't "solved engineering problems" in about five years. I normally use CATIA and ENOVIA in my daily work rather than cranking out homework problems.

 

[MechGuy]

No, I haven't forgotten Pythagorean. But calculating leg lengths of right triangles - which is incredibly easy to do - I haven't done in several years and any seconds spent remembering how to do this is a waste of time. So I reviewed it and created a little cheat sheat of it in case I lock up during the exam.
I think the point of my post was to say as you're working hard on Rankine and Carnot cycles to also remember to review the easy stuff since the easy stuff will get you as well!

I'm taking the PE, so I haven't "solved engineering problems" in about five years. I normally use CATIA and ENOVIA in my daily work rather than cranking out homework problems.

Isn't using the Pythagorean Theorem pretty much all you need to know when "calculating leg lengths of right triangles" ? You've lost me somewhere here.

I tend to agree with IlPadrino -- if you need to look up this kind of references, you've got much bigger fish to fry! I don't want to sound negative here either, so Good luck!!

 

[bigtrees]

Isn't using the Pythagorean Theorem pretty much all you need to know when "calculating leg lengths of right triangles" ? You've lost me somewhere here.I tend to agree with IlPadrino -- if you need to look up this kind of references, you've got much bigger fish to fry! I don't want to sound negative here either, so Good luck!!

OK, Let's see someone calculate this using Pythagorean Theroem (x^2 + Y^2 = r^2)

Hypotenous is 5 inches long, angle is 36 degrees. The triangle is a right triangle. How long is the short leg and how long is the long leg?

If you can solve this using x^2 + y^2 = r^2 I'll be impressed.

Again, as I said before, I extensively used trig in college and this is not new to me. Being out of school for a few years means that some of my old tricks are rusty. I posted this here not because it was unusual material but a good reminder to people to make sure all their bases are covered.

In my case, I've been spending a ton of time on fluid mechanics, mechanics of materials, and thermodynamic cycles. When reveiwing statics, I was a little embarrased that it took me a few minutes to recall how to calculate leg lengths of a problem similiar to one that I wrote above. That's when I spent some time to review basic trig. and also jotted down some notes. Some civil engineers & others may use trig. frequently in their work, but my work I use CATIA and don't do anything by hand these days.

One thing that I am doing is putting all of these notes into a 3" 3-ring binder as well as photocopies of equations, thermo tables, and other assorted data sheets. It's similiar to a "little MERM" for me but using all of my own variables and all the notes were hand selected by me. I'll take the MERM along as well, but I figure if I can have everything handy in an easy-to-use binder I'll be able to reference information quicker. Plus, I'm using the same equations that I used in college (with the same letters and notation for variables) rather than trying to use the ones in the MERM that may have different letters or equations written in a different manner.

We'll see how it works.

 

[MEPE2B]

OK, Let's see someone calculate this using Pythagorean Theroem (x^2 + Y^2 = r^2)
Hypotenous is 5 inches long, angle is 36 degrees. The triangle is a right triangle. How long is the short leg and how long is the long leg?

If you can solve this using x^2 + y^2 = r^2 I'll be impressed.

I guess you would use either the law of sines or the law of cosines (both of which I would have to look up too). Also, I think these formulas work for any triangle, not just right triangles.

I think it's a good idea to jot down some formulas where you can find them easily...it could save a lot of time that would be spent flipping pages in the MERM. Which formulas are worth jotting down I think will vary with the individual.

 

[IlPadrino]

So I reviewed it and created a little cheat sheat of it in case I lock up during the exam.

Then my recommendation stands... bring a copy of the FE reference handbook. You can get it at PE Notes or request directly from NCEES at NCEES. It will have that and more...

 

[IlPadrino]

OK, Let's see someone calculate this using Pythagorean Theroem (x^2 + Y^2 = r^2)
Hypotenous is 5 inches long, angle is 36 degrees. The triangle is a right triangle. How long is the short leg and how long is the long leg?

If you can solve this using x^2 + y^2 = r^2 I'll be impressed.

I learned it as Oscar Had A Heap Of Apples... for others it was

Remember SOH CAH TOA.

 

[IlPadrino]

One thing that I am doing is putting all of these notes into a 3" 3-ring binder as well as photocopies of equations, thermo tables, and other assorted data sheets. It's similiar to a "little MERM" for me but using all of my own variables and all the notes were hand selected by me. I'll take the MERM along as well, but I figure if I can have everything handy in an easy-to-use binder I'll be able to reference information quicker. Plus, I'm using the same equations that I used in college (with the same letters and notation for variables) rather than trying to use the ones in the MERM that may have different letters or equations written in a different manner.
We'll see how it works.

That seems like a great idea... it was the same idea behind PE Notes.