Two birds sit at the top of two different trees that are both 29.7 feet tall. The distance between the first bird and a bird watcher on the ground is 42.1 feet.

What is the angle measure, or angle of depression, between this bird and the bird watcher?

Question

Two birds sit at the top of two different trees that are both 29.7 feet tall. The distance between the first bird and a bird watcher on the ground is 42.1 feet. 

What is the angle measure, or angle of depression, between this bird and the bird watcher?

hang254 · Answer

attachment

hang254 · Answer

i know that i have to use sin

hang254 · Answer

sin=opposite/hypotenuse

hang254 · Answer

sin=29.7/42.1

hang254 · Answer

how do i solve that???

cwrw238 · Answer

sin x = 29.7 / 42.1 

x = angle whose sine is 29.7 / 42.1

hang254 · Answer

so how would i enter that in my caculator

cwrw238 · Answer

it depends on your calculator
first work out 29.7 / 42.1 
then either enter sin-1 and the answer to above
or
answer then sin-1

hang254 · Answer

29.7/42.1=.7054631829
then i enter sin on my calculator and put in that number above?

zepp · Answer

http://puu.sh/Flz8

zepp · Answer

$\large \sin^{-1}(\frac{29.7}{42.1})$

cwrw238 · Answer

not sin but  sin-1 - i expect its shift + sin

hang254 · Answer

oh my gosh, thats it! no wonder i kept getting weird answers. thanks!

cwrw238 · Answer

u shld get 44.87 degrees

hang254 · Answer

i got .78307
i dont think thats right

cwrw238 · Answer

no - maybe your calculator is set to radians - not degrees

hang254 · Answer

hmm, ok i'll change that, thanks guys

cwrw238 · Answer

thats the problem - igfot your last result when i changed to radians

hang254 · Answer

Yup, it was set to radians, i changed it

cwrw238 · Answer

yw