Question

Geometry: Basic Trig Help Please, Ill list question, i dont want answer i want help to solve it.

Answer 1

(07.04 MC)
An observer (O) spots a plane flying at a 35° angle to his horizontal line of sight. If the plane is flying at an altitude of 17,000 ft., what is the distance (x) from the plane (P) to the observer (O)?

Answer 2

Hight is 17,000 ft, angle is 35 degrees, we are trying to find the hypotenuse

Answer 3

First step is to draw it out, so do that.

Answer 4

Alright, hold up

Answer 5

Okay, drawn out

Answer 6

Ok, good. So relative to the angle, is the altitude side opposite or adjacent?

Answer 7

the altitude side would be oppisite

Answer 8

And what trig function has the opposite and the hypotenuse in it?

Answer 9

Sine, Right?

Answer 10

Right. So if O=17,000 and H, how would we construct our formula?

Answer 11

Shoulda said "and we don't know H"

Answer 12

Wouldnt it be

Sine Of 35 degrees is equal to H "which in this case is 17,000", over x "the lenght of the hypoteneuse

Answer 13

Did you mean to put an O there instead of an H to represent the opposite side? Cause if you did, that looks fine. In equation form though, what would that be?

Answer 14

By the way, thanks for helping me and im sorry if this takes a while, i am not good with mathematics

Answer 15

No problem, we're moving pretty quick. I spent over an hour helping someone with probability earlier.

Answer 16

Ah, i see, well, lets hope i dont take too long, okay, did i right it down correctly?

Answer 17

Well right, but I was looking for it in more of an equation form. Like this \[\large \sf sin(35)=\frac{17000}{H}\]

Answer 18

ohh, im sorry, i did not know you can write out the equation like that

Answer 19

Well anyway, do you know how to solve for H from here?

Answer 20

you multiply by both sides and it cancels out. so you get\[h \times \sin35=17000/h\]

Answer 21

Well not really. When you have \[\large \sf a=\frac{b}{c}\] and you want to get c alone, just switch a and c \[\large \sf c=\frac{b}{a}\] So for \[\large \sf sin(35)=\frac{17000}{H}\] it would be \[\large \sf H=\frac{17000}{sin(35)}\]

Answer 22

So flip it like a reciprocal?

Answer 23

You're just switching a and c, to get c alone. In this case, we're getting H alone, like I just showed

Answer 24

Alright, hold up, im writing this down

Answer 25

okay i wrote it down, so H equals 17000 over sin 35

Answer 26

flip a and c

Answer 27

Yup, so just plug that into a calculator and you'll have your answer

Answer 28

alright, now this is for the hypoteneuse correct? cause thats what im trying to find

Answer 29

Yes, the H represents the hypotenuse

Answer 30

alright, thanks for the clarification

Answer 31

No problem, just tell me what you get when you get it

Answer 32

Okay, im really sorry, how would i plug this in a calculator, in the same format given?

Answer 33

Just do \[\large \sf \frac{17000}{sin(35)}\]

Answer 34

and press the execute button on the calculator?

Answer 35

if that's the button that executes it, then yes

Answer 36

ok

Answer 37

okay, i got-39702.68115

Answer 38

which i am almost certain is not being displayed correctly, perhaps user error on my part

Answer 39

Then your calculator is in radians, I forgot to tell you it must be in degrees. My apologies.

Answer 40

no worries, what needs to be in degrees exactly, the 35?

Answer 41

The setting of the calculator.

Answer 42

ok sin of 35 degrees is roughly 0.57

Answer 43

the answer is 29824

Answer 44

Good, although specifically it is 29,639. But I think you got the point of it

Answer 45

alright i see the point of this one, thankyou for taking the time to help me, n ow im new to this site so is there any way of giving kudos to someone who has helped?

Answer 46

You can press the "Best Response" button for me, which will give me a medal. (:

Answer 47

alright thanks again, i do have more questions but i dont want to take anymore of your time

Answer 48

And if you feel you may need future help you can fan me so you can tag me in the future. You could fan zepdrix too, he's real smart

Answer 49

Oh and no problem, have a nice rest of your day (:

Answer 50

alright thanks, i have aleready became a fan of you

Answer 51

Closing question