A shooting star forms a right triangle with the Earth and the Sun, as shown below:

A scientist measures the angle x and the distance y between the Earth and the Sun. Using complete sentences, explain how the scientist can use only these two measurements to calculate the distance between the Earth and the shooting star.

Question

A shooting star forms a right triangle with the Earth and the Sun, as shown below:

A scientist measures the angle x and the distance y between the Earth and the Sun. Using complete sentences, explain how the scientist can use only these two measurements to calculate the distance between the Earth and the shooting star.

anonymous · Answer

attachment

nnesha · Answer

trig ratios ?

anonymous · Answer

I was thinking to use tangent ?

nnesha · Answer

$$\rm sin \rm \theta = \frac{ opposite  }{ hypotenuse  }~~~~ \cos \theta = \frac{ adjacent  }{ hypotenuse } ~~\tan \theta = \frac{ opposite }{ adjacent  }$$

thats what you need to find distance

anonymous · Answer

you can not find the distance.  you don't know the values of x and y.

nnesha · Answer

to find length of missing side 
you should know one angle  and one side

nnesha · Answer

the question is `how the scientist can use only these two measurements`
so we don't have to know the value of x and y

nnesha · Answer

so which ratio would u use to find distance between the earth and shooting star?

anonymous · Answer

sinθ

nnesha · Answer

..