Fill in the missing value on the unit circle: What is the value of sin(θ) when cos(θ) = -1/2?
Given the unit circle equation:
$$\cos^2(θ) + \sin^2(θ) = 1$$
Substitute $\cos(θ) = -\frac{1}{2}$:
$$\left(-\frac{1}{2}\right)^2 + \sin^2(θ) = 1$$
Simplify:
$$\frac{1}{4} + \sin^2(θ) = 1$$
Subtract $\frac{1}{4}$ from both sides:
$$\sin^2(θ) = 1 – \frac{1}{4}$$
$$\sin^2(θ) = \frac{3}{4}$$
Taking the square root of both sides:
$$\sin(θ) = \pm \sqrt{\frac{3}{4}}$$
$$\sin(θ) = \pm \frac{\sqrt{3}}{2}$$
So, the value of $\sin(θ)$ when $\cos(θ) = -\frac{1}{2}$ is $\pm \frac{\sqrt{3}}{2}$.