Question

check my answer please

An observer (O) is located 500 feet from a school (S). The observer notices a bird (B) flying at a 39° angle of elevation from his line of sight. What equation and trigonometric function can be used to solve for the height (h) of the bird? What is the height of the bird? Pick another trigonometric function and describe why that function is not appropriate when trying to solve for (h).

Answer 1

the correct equation is as follows
Tan(39) = H/500
500 X tan(39) = H
H= 500(tan (39))

An incorrect equasion would be
sin (39) = h/hypotenuse
because even though it uses the height it also uses the hypotenuse which we dont have a measurment for.

Answer 2

@marissalovescats

Answer 3

Yes good job

Answer 4

Soh Cah Toa

dohhhhhhh

Answer 5

thank you. now how would i get the height from my equation? what would i plug in? @marissalovescats

Answer 6

You could do 39 tan in your calculator and then multiply it by 500 to get H

Answer 7

T = opposite(height)/adjacent
tan (39 deg) = h/500

Answer 8

Soh Cah Toa
dohhhhhhhhh

Answer 9

ok thanks marissa thats all i needed on this question :D

Answer 10

do you know what you're doing or you're guessing as you go along?

a key is to understand the concept by understanding the vocabulary and parts.

Answer 11

i know what im doing i just wanted to check my answer before i moved on

Answer 12

I think he knows that he's doing and that he knows all about,

"Soh Cah Toa dohhhhh" Which was kind of rude of you by the way.

He just wants some reassurance on his answers is all. Nothing wrong with that. I know I get lost in word problems.

Answer 13

spend 15-30 minutes understanding this. http://www.mathsisfun.com/algebra/sohcahtoa.html

I can bet you that you will not need help over and over again after this.

Answer 14

this reassurance is breeding complacency and dependence

Answer 15

i know what im doing i just wanted to check my answers, isnt that what this site is for in the first place?

Answer 16

You can be a master on a subject and still have someone check your answers.

If he wants someone to check his answers it's fine.

Answer 17

Exactly it is what this site is for, and we should be kind to people as well.

You can come here and ask for help in learning something or like you're doing have someone check your answers.

Answer 18

It's good to have someone check your answers that way you know you're doing something correctly so that way you KNOW and can trust your own judgment when you are being independent on the subject, like during a test.

Answer 19

having to experience mistakes IS a huge part of learning.

Answer 20

Oh and marissa i got 404.892 etc when i did 39 tan times 500 should i just round it to 404.9 or 404.89? and is that right?

Answer 21

And I'm sure he has experienced mistakes and that he has recently gotten the jist of things and wants to make sure he's got it down in his mind.

Answer 22

http://www.mathsisfun.com/algebra/sohcahtoa.html

READ, brother

Answer 23

404.9 or even 405 would work

Answer 24

You're just being rude @nincompoop.

Rude and mean. So please, if he has more questions I'd be MORE than happy to assist him and make sure he understands. Not just keep telling him to go read up on some page.

Answer 25

ok. and did i do it correctly? that seems a bit weird for the height but everytime i do it i keep getting that answer. could you double check the calculation for me?

Answer 26

39 tan X 500 is what im doing
39 tan = (answer)
(answer) X 500

Answer 27

No you did it right.

It seems odd yes because it's a big number but remember the context of the question.

The bird is flying in the air and looking down so 405 feet probably doesn't seem that high when you think about it

Answer 28

ok. thank you again. i will tag you if i need more work checked. *cough* which i will because i already read those web pages *cough*

Answer 29

Okay, I'd be happy to check your work if you need it again.

Answer 30

can you also make sure that my dissertation paper is good?