You and a friend are on a desert island at the equator. You start a timer at (point a) the
instant your friend, who is lying at the waterline, sees the sun disappear below the horizon. You
who are standing your full 1.7 meters tall (altitude) stop the timer when the sun disappears for you
(point b). The time is 11.1 seconds.
1. Diagram the situation.
2. What is the angle between the line connecting your head and point a in space and the line
connecting point a and the center of the earth?
3. Give a symbolic expression for the hypotenuse in your diagram.

Question

You and a friend are on a desert island at the equator. You start a timer at (point a) the 
instant your friend, who is lying at the waterline, sees the sun disappear below the horizon. You 
who are standing your full 1.7 meters tall (altitude) stop the timer when the sun disappears for you 
(point b). The time is 11.1 seconds. 
1. Diagram the situation.
2. What is the angle between the line connecting your head and point a in space and the line 
connecting point a and the center of the earth?
3. Give a symbolic expression for the hypotenuse in your diagram.

masumanwar · Answer

i dont want to get marooned in a desert without my backpack and food