Question

An escalator in a department store is to carry people a vertical distance of 18 feet between floors. How long is the escalator if it makes and angle of 40° with the floor? Round to 1 decimal place.
Select one:
a. 9.6 ft
b. 11.5 ft
c. 17.9 ft
d. none of the above

Answer 1

you are going to need a calculator for this \[\sin(40^\circ)=\frac{18}{x}\] so \[x=\frac{18}{\sin(40^\circ)}\]

Answer 2

actually i never use a calculator
i use this
http://www.wolframalpha.com/input/?i=18%2Fsin%2840%29

Answer 3

okay

Answer 4

x=28

Answer 5

that is what i get yes

Answer 6

then whats next

Answer 7

idk have a beer?

Answer 8

lol

Answer 9

oh, i see
since 28 is not a choice, pick D

Answer 10

thats wrong that what i put

Answer 11

?

Answer 12

i am sticking with \[\frac{18}{\sin(40^\circ)}\] and wolfram doesn't lie

Answer 13

yeah i see
still sticking to 28

Answer 14

unless "how long is the escalator" means this

Answer 15

but that is not the length of the escalator
that is the horizontal distance

Answer 16

@jim_thompson5910 do you know?

Answer 17

I'm getting 28.0030288834874 as well

Answer 18

the horizontal component is roughly 21.4515646666956

Answer 19

so this problem has a typo somewhere

Answer 20

i guess there is i just wanted a second opinion

Answer 21

I guess if there are no typos, and they intentionally put bad answers up there, then the answer would be D) none of the above. The others are probably put in there to throw you off?

Answer 22

i put D though and got it wrong