Question

There are many ropes keeping a hot air balloon from floating away before a balloon race. One of these ropes is fixed to the ground at a 45° angle. Another is fixed to the ground at a 30° angle.



If the hot air balloon is 21 feet off the ground, what is the distance between the ground directly underneath the balloon and the second rope rounded to the nearest hundredth of a foot? Type the numeric answer only in the box below.


Numerical Answers Expected!

Answer 1

tan 30 = 21/x, so x = 21/tan30

Answer 2

Are you able to determine tan30 degrees?

Answer 3

i can do tan(30) on my calculator is that the same with the degrees?

Answer 4

You just set degrees first (not radians), then type 30, then hit tan.

Answer 5

Then 1/x button, then multiply that by 21.

Answer 6

how do i set it to degrees?

Answer 7

What kind of calculator? TI? With a lot of calculators, degrees is the default and you see a DEG in the display window already anyway.

Answer 8

its a scientic calculator

Answer 9

Brand?

Answer 10

casio
fx-115ES PLUS
natural-V.P.A.M

Answer 11

I haven't seen that one, but an old Casio that I had used a button that moved from degrees to radians to gradients. You probably have a display in your window already that says degrees, don't you?

Answer 12

No but i think i found out how to now i just need to find the 1/x button

Answer 13

If you can't find 1/x or if your calculator doesn't have one, then put tan30 in memory and divide 1 by memory.

Answer 14

i dont know how to do that either. im not use to using a calculator for math.

Answer 15

Okay, then tan30 = 1/sqrt(3), so 1/tan30 = sqrt(3). So, your answer is 21 times sqrt(3) which is approx. 36.37

Answer 16

thank you! lol will you help me with the other few i have?

Answer 17

Sure, just start new problem threads. Don't put it in this thread.