One of the easiest ways to work problems is to break it into nice, digestable chunks. If you can identify a step-by-step process to do each chunk, you're good to go. Here are six steps for applying the sohcahtoa trick to right triangle problems.
1) Identify the right angle in your triangle. This confirms that you will be able to use the sohcahtoa rule.
2) Identify your angle of interest. This will change which sides are opposite and adjacent.
3) Identify your opposite and adjacent legs of the triangle.
4) Using the sohcahtoa rule, set up a relationship using sin/cos/tan, the angle, and two of the adjacent/opposite/hypotenuse sides.
5) Solve the equation for your desired variable.
6) Box your answer, you're done!
