Bad question from Princeton review? or just my error?

This forum made possible through the generous support of SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.
Get help with your application

Use all the free resources available to you from SDN: articles, guides, expert advising, forums discussions, and school research.

AlphaStudent

Full Member
7+ Year Member
Advertisement - Members don't see this ad
So I've always been taught that the formula for torque is T=FcosTheta * R .............however this princeton review practice problem on torque is using the formula T= FSinTheta * R

When solving for torque do we always use Sin in the torque formula?? Or is this just a bad question...because there was no drawing or indication for how this problem should be set up.

I put 44 degrees as my answer because I was using cosine instead of sine in the torque formula.
upload_2018-12-19_18-40-36.png
 
Hmm I've always learned that torque = r*F*sin(theta) because torque is equal to the vectors r x F (cross product--which is sin). I've never used cos for torque that I can remember lol and I've taken hella physics classes.