Maths help! Why can't i do this basic trigonometry (title edited by MNHQ at request of OP)

[liquidsquidli]

I need to measure the height of a slope using trigonometry

I know the the angle and the adjacent and need to find the opposite

I can then calculate the opposite using tan

I'm going to use A for angle and theta isn't in my phone

It should be

Opp= adjacent x tanA

The worked example on the BBC bite size is

Z = 50 x tan70
X= 137.4m

When I do it both excel and my phone calculator I get different answer =61.098

I must be putting it the calculation in wrong can anyone help!?

I got 61 on my phone calculator but it was in radians
I changed to degrees and got 137.4

We've had that problem with radians and degrees. It's hilariously funny afterwards but a total pain the butt until you work it out.

Many phones default to radians, no idea why.

This is on an iPhone

OP, if you pull up the calculator app in your PC and click on the three horizontal lines at the top left, you can convert it to a scientific calculator. Not sure if it's in radians or degrees, but it might be a start.

On the windows calculator app when set to scientific calculator mode, you can switch between radians and degrees by clicking the button that the yellow arrow is pointing to here.

Ah right thanks!

I've got the correct answer now!

Nice! Well done.