Thread: Trigonometry - Angle Of Elevation

Hi guys.

Am currently stuck with this question asking me to find the greatest possible angle of elevation..

Need help urgently thanks !

Originally Posted by liukawa

Hi guys.

Am currently stuck with this question asking me to find the greatest possible angle of elevation..

Need help urgently thanks !

It's unclear whether the BC at the end means line or line segment. Possibly it won't matter, I haven't run the numbers. Anyway find the point on BC that is closest to A, call the point P, then look at triangle PAD.

Of interest is whether angle ABC is acute, obtuse, or right.

Originally Posted by undefined

It's unclear whether the BC at the end means line or line segment. Possibly it won't matter, I haven't run the numbers. Anyway find the point on BC that is closest to A, call the point P, then look at triangle PAD.

Of interest is whether angle ABC is acute, obtuse, or right.

How to find point P that is closest to A.

ABC is an acute angle - 84 degree

Originally Posted by liukawa

How to find point P that is closest to A.

ABC is an acute angle - 84 degree

Rounded to nearest degree, yes 84. So it doesn't matter whether they meant BC line or line segment.

To find shortest distance from a line L to a point Q, look at line M perpendicular to L through Q.

In other words, drop an altitude from A to BC.

Note: You can save yourself some time by using that area of a triangle (using the usual letters) is (1/2)absinC and also (1/2)bh^2.