In the right triangle shown, the right angle is at the bottom-left corner, with one leg labeled $x$ (vertical) and the other leg labeled $y$ (horizontal), and the angle at the bottom-right is $50°$.
Compare:
Quantity A: $\dfrac{x}{y}$
Quantity B: $1$
In the right triangle, the right angle is at the bottom-left. The angle at the bottom-right is $50°$, which means the angle at the top is $180° - 90° - 50° = 40°$.
The side opposite the $50°$ angle is $x$ (vertical leg), and the side opposite the $40°$ angle is $y$ (horizontal leg).
Since the angle opposite $x$ ($50°$) is greater than the angle opposite $y$ ($40°$), it follows that $x > y$.
Therefore $\dfrac{x}{y} > 1$, so Quantity A is greater.
Alternatively: $\tan(50°) = \dfrac{x}{y}$, and $\tan(50°) \approx 1.19 > 1$.
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