Question

A bird (B) is spotted flying 900 feet from an observer. The observer (O) also spots the top of a tower (T) at a height of 200 feet. What is the angle of depression from the bird (B) to the observer (O)?

These are the choices:
A) 12.52°
B) 12.84°
C) 77.16°
D) 83.69°

Answer 1

I don't want to just know the answer, I'd like to learn it. I know the sin, cos, tan functions btw. I just am a bit confused on this question.

Answer 2

You are given the value of 2 sides, and you want to find an angle,
what trigonometric function of that angle relates the 2 sides?

Answer 3

That would be the sin function right?

Answer 4

yep

Answer 5

\[\sin(x)=\frac{OT}{OB}\]

Answer 6

After simplifying the ratio, you can use a calculator

Answer 7

Okay wouldn't it be sin (x) = 200/900?

Answer 8

yep!

Answer 9

yes I am a little too!
Your diagram does not appear to be right From my understanding the tower is 200 ft high - the diagram shows that the distance to the tower is 200 feet.

I guess the 200 ft must be the distance from the observer to the tower

Answer 10

Okay, then I'd divide 200 into 900 right?

Answer 11

Wait.. What're you saying @welshfella

Answer 12

no you divide 900 into 200

Answer 13

was the diagram given in the question?

Answer 14

\[\sin(x)=\frac{200}{900}=\frac{2}{9}\]

Answer 15

Yes the wording is a little off in the question, it seems like the distance to the tower rather than it's height, but there's no need to think about it too much

Answer 16

What do you mean diagram? Sorry, I'm a bit confused on what I should do now haha.. So should I just switch it around and divide 900 into 200? @welshfella @Nishant_Garg

Answer 17

- but you should query it @ScienceAndMath . Math can be difficult enough without having confusing questions...

Answer 18

Okay, so 200 is the distance then?