Question

Research building codes for ramps such as wheelchair ramps, boat ramps, or loading docks. Choose a building code for a ramp and describe the relationship between the lengths involved using geometry vocabulary such as hypotenuse, adjacent side, and opposite side. Use right triangle concepts from this unit to find any unknown lengths and angle measures of the ramp. Be sure to identify the type of ramp. Discuss why there are building codes for ramps and how you think they are determined.

Answer 1

First off, lets break this into parts.
Research building codes for ramps such as wheelchair ramps, boat ramps, or loading docks.

Answer 2

Which one of those ramps would you like to research?

Answer 3

I have the codes for wheel chair ramps.

Wheelchair ramps: The ramp should be no steeper than one foot per inch of rise, rise should not exceed 30 inches, width must be at least 36 inches, and landings much be at least 60 square inches both at the top of the platform and in any directional transition. Handrails are required on ramps that rise more than 6 inches or any more than 72 inches long. Wheelchair ramps may be fabricated from any material, provided they do not allow water to accumulate and have enough tread to prevent slipping.

Answer 4

Awesome! So the entire ramp should not be over 30 inches high.

Answer 5

How much do you think our rise should be?

Answer 6

If its 1 ft per inch of rise, it could be 30 ft.

Answer 7

So you want the height to be 30 inches?

Answer 8

I think lol

Answer 9

Okay, so the height is 30 inches, and they have to have AT LEAST one foot of length per inch of height, which means at a minimum, we have a 30ft long ramp

Answer 10

so since I have those two values, couldn't I solve to find the other value?

Answer 11

Exactly!

Answer 12

Do you know how to use sin, cos and tan?

Answer 13

Yes I do, thank you so so sooooo much!

Answer 14

No problem! Let me know what you come to as an answer for the hypotenuse :)

Answer 15

But I need an angle value...

Answer 16

I know since I have the adjacent and opposite sides I would use tan

Answer 17

Well, we know that opposite is 30 inches, and adjacent is 360 inches (30ft *12 inches). So what operation (sin, cos, tan) would we use to find angle A?