When the angle of elevation to the sun is 37°, a flagpole casts a shadow that is 24.2 feet long. What is the height of the flagpole to the nearest foot?

Question

montsechamorro · Answer

attachment

imstuck · Answer

Call the height of the flagpole x.  You need to solve for x.  Do you know SOHCAHTOA?

montsechamorro · Answer

no

imstuck · Answer

Sin is opposite/hypotenuse, cos is adjacent/hypotenuse, tan is opposite/adjacent.  Our flagpole situation sets us up for an opposite over adjacent situation because the ground is adjacent to the height, and the side opposite is the height we are looking for.

imstuck · Answer

We are going to use the tangent identity to solve for x.  We are in degrees with this, so make sure your calculator is in degrees instead of radians.  Hope you have a calculator...

montsechamorro · Answer

i only have my phone one D;

imstuck · Answer

$$\tan(37degrees) =\frac{ x }{ 24.2 }$$

robtobey2 · Answer

$$24.2  \tan (37 {}^{\circ})=18 $$

imstuck · Answer

Your phone probably doesn't have the sin cos and tan functions, does it?

montsechamorro · Answer

No, it doesn't D;. but i think rob got the answer

imstuck · Answer

Yeah, cuz someone gave it to you.  Hope you can figure it out on a test!  Good luck with that!

montsechamorro · Answer

Thank you both <33