Question

As shown below, an observer (O) is located 400 feet from a building (B). The observer notices a kite (K) flying at a 29° angle of elevation from his line of sight. What equation and trigonometric function can be used to solve for the height (h) of the kite? What is the height of the kite? You must show all work and calculations to receive full credit.

Answer 1

if oyu look at angle O - how would you name the side h with respect to O
would it be
Opposite
Adjacent or
Hypotenuse?


how would you name the side 400 with respect to O
would it be
Opposite
Adjacent or
Hypotenuse?

Answer 2

is it adjacent @MrNood

Answer 3

look at the diagram

is h opposite or adjacent to O

Answer 4

so is o an angle? h is like a side, so I'm guessing it can't be opposites like they're not opposite angles so I'm gonna go w adjacent

Answer 5

@MrNood

Answer 6

OK

you are evidently studying triangles and the functions sin cos and tan

you need to be able to identify the sides of a triangle opposite, adjacent and hypotenuse, with respect to a given angle.

This is a basic requirement of doing these functions.

Go back to your text or notes and find out how ot identify the sides

THEN come back to this question

Answer 7

okay nvm i know this!!
don't leave me now i need help w this question.. ):

Answer 8

so h is opposite

Answer 9

@MrNood

Answer 10

ok

and the 400 side is?

Answer 11

adjacent

Answer 12

OK
GOOD

So which of the 3 functions uses opposite and adjacent?

and what is the formula using them?

Answer 13

tangent = opposite/adjacent

Answer 14

ok

so write an equation with

tan29
h
400

in it

Answer 15

@MrNood ok mister

Answer 16

tan29=h/400

Answer 17

totally misread your reply i thought you said "so I'm gonna write an equation.."
sorry for taking so long

Answer 18

excellent

so use your calculator to work out h

Answer 19

i keep getting a really big number i don't think its correct @MrNood

Answer 20

so you were correct
tan29 = h/400

so multiply each side by 400

what is tan(29)?

Answer 21

0.88 is what i got for tan29

Answer 22

idk that sounds off

Answer 23

OK - you have made a mistake with your calculator

We have 29 degrees

your calculator is set to 'radians' mode

Answer 24

yes!

Answer 25

you need to find tan 29 deg

Answer 26

0.55

Answer 27

is that right

Answer 28

so your equation is now

0.55 = h/400

so what is h?

Answer 29

yay!!
ok its gonna come out to

h=220

Answer 30

OK - well done

but you rounded to 0.55

is that accurate enough?

Answer 31

thats fine! thank you very much!

Answer 32

So -

you started out hoping for th eanswer, and maybe thinking oyu didn't know how to do it

but you DID the work!

Answer 33

oh no i wanted to learn how to work it out! Its no fun when its just the answer <:

Answer 34

thanks for helping me w that, I'm like terrible at remembering things like i read the question and i was like omg what is this even
I know how to do this is just needed a little remembering (: