SOHCAHTOA on the ASTB... why?

[openbah]

I've been reading about what to expect on the ASTB and some people have been saying make sure you know SOHCAHTOA. Thats fine, but if we can't use calculators, what is the point of knowing trig formulas for finding angle sizes? I guess I'm confused. Do they ask you how you would solve for the angle, without asking for a specific answer?

 

[Slammer2]

a good portion of the math was stuff you can do in your head. Its more the concepts that they're testing you on. But you also have paper to work out numbers and draw diagrams and stuff. Its been a while now, but I remember most of the angels being simple (30,45,60,90) so they're pretty easy to work with.

 

[sirenia]

I've been reading about what to expect on the ASTB and some people have been saying make sure you know SOHCAHTOA. Thats fine, but if we can't use calculators, what is the point of knowing trig formulas for finding angle sizes? I guess I'm confused. Do they ask you how you would solve for the angle, without asking for a specific answer?

There are really convoluted problems that can be done in a jiffy if you simply remember these formulas. I know I solved at least two in the math section using the above formula. Formulas for angle degree and size of the sides are the only things really in trig that would help you on the ASTB. And, you don't need calculators to do simple trig.

 

[ben]

I needed it for the test and didn't know it - too long since I learned it in high school and I never used it in college. The answer choices are presented in such a way that you don't need a calculator but you do need to know the formula.

 

[WhoIsAsYah]

i took the astb today and there was one problem that had anything to do with trig. it showed a right triangle and gave the value of two of its sides. and asked for the value of sin for a specific angle. other than that no trig was involved.

 

[theblakeness]

there is some simple trig that might be beneficial to know without using a calc...IE sin of 90 = 1, cos of 90 = 0, etc..

 

[Shadow9660]

Right, on the new forms, the one problem that dealt with "SOHCAHTOA" was a triangle with sides labeled with number quantities... the answers will be in fraction (ratio) form such that all youll need to know is which number to put over which using the SOHCAHTOA method.

 

[virtu050]

i had my Natops Instrument Checkride yesterday and we were all talking about how we all suck at math. I guess at some point pilots were good at math but by far most people I know aren't. That's why there is so much GOUGE... i.e. for a 3 degree glideslope just take half your groundspeed to figure out your rate of descent. or.. to figure out when you should descend.. just take your altitude to lose and multiply it by 3 for miles out. I remember one day a fellow stud had asked me about lead radials... I forgot the "gouge" formula so I calculated it using 2*pi*radius.. i got the correct number but everyone laughed at me.

 

[WhoIsAsYah]

yukon, i think as long as you know the quadratic formula, how to add fractions, and are familiar with exponential properties you'll do fine.

 

[Dunedan]

SOHCAHTOA...you're giving me flashbacks. AAAhhhhh!