A lighthouse that is 37 feet tall stands on the shore of lake michigan. looking out from atop the lighthouse, a ship suddenly appears on the horizon. Approximately how far is the ship from the shore?

Question

imstuck · Answer

In order to figure this out you have to have the angle of depression from the top of the lighthouse to the ship.

imstuck · Answer

You need something else other than just the height of the lighthouse.  You can't solve it without another known quantity.

anonymous · Answer

Okay, so how to i find the angle? This is all the problem has given me haha.

jaynator495 · Answer

did it atleast tell you the hight of the water and the hight of the top from the water and/or if there was fog?

imstuck · Answer

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anonymous · Answer

No, that is all it told me. He gave us the answers, we just have to show how to come up with the work.

imstuck · Answer

You can't just findd the angle of depression without more info.  It is not possible to solve this without another known quantity.

jaynator495 · Answer

agreed

imstuck · Answer

What answer did he give you?

jaynator495 · Answer

sorry we would love to help you but it isnt possible here :/

anonymous · Answer

The answer refers to the radius of the earth being 3960 mi. I'm not sure if that sparks any ideas or not haha

jaynator495 · Answer

little bit... lol

jaynator495 · Answer

perhaps you shoulda mentioned that earlier xD @IMStuck

anonymous · Answer

opps, ive messed up. sorry, the light of the tower is 36 feet, not 37. The answer he gives is approximately 7.3 miles

jaynator495 · Answer

for some reason it doesnt say im viewing it... odd lol

jaynator495 · Answer

unfortantaly im not the guy to ask for this one... id love to help but without out the angle of depression its out of my knowledge sorry :(

anonymous · Answer

okay, thank you for trying!

jaynator495 · Answer

np :D