# Trigonometric Ratios

• Feb 17th 2011, 05:51 PM
vaironxxrd
Trigonometric Ratios
Hello Guys here its a Geometry homework i had, and i just want to check with you guys if i did this question right since is kind of confusing. First my answers and then the picture with the question just making sure i got the right answer here... I could not scan the steps.
---Rounded to the nearest thousand---
D=5168FT

X=1768FT

(Image)

http://img510.imageshack.us/img510/6...y2question.jpg

• Feb 17th 2011, 05:54 PM
Ackbeet
Can you find the vertical drop?
• Feb 17th 2011, 05:57 PM
vaironxxrd
Quote:

Originally Posted by Ackbeet
Can you find the vertical drop?

They are listed above .

"D=5168FT

X=1768FT"

BTW the book did not list these i found the vertical drop by first solving D which is the distance a person would travel at the slope.. Sorry for the lots of TYPOS
• Feb 17th 2011, 06:01 PM
Ackbeet
Hmm. Well, the vertical drop figure, at least, can't possibly be right. How did you get that answer?
• Feb 17th 2011, 06:28 PM
vaironxxrd
Quote:

Originally Posted by Ackbeet
Hmm. Well, the vertical drop figure, at least, can't possibly be right. How did you get that answer?

Took the Focus angle which was 20(Degrees),found out it was opposite over hypotenuse which is Sin
So SIN(20)= $\dfrac{x}{5168}$
• Feb 17th 2011, 06:42 PM
skeeter
where did the number 5169 come from ?

from the picture, $x = 5500 - 5018 = 482 \, ft$

$\sin(20^\circ) = \dfrac{x}{d}$

solve for $d$
• Feb 17th 2011, 06:45 PM
Prove It
You're going about this wrong. The value of $\displaystyle X$ is KNOWN - it's $\displaystyle 5500 - 5018 = \dots$.

You use THIS value to find $\displaystyle D$.
• Feb 18th 2011, 02:20 AM
vaironxxrd
Quote:

Originally Posted by skeeter
where did the number 5169 come from ?

from the picture, $x = 5500 - 5018 = 482 \, ft$

$\sin(20^\circ) = \dfrac{x}{d}$

solve for $d$

Quote:

Originally Posted by Prove It
You're going about this wrong. The value of $\displaystyle X$ is KNOWN - it's $\displaystyle 5500 - 5018 = \dots$.

You use THIS value to find $\displaystyle D$.

I will solve it from school. But why are we doing elevation-elevation or (5500)-(5018)
• Feb 18th 2011, 02:33 AM
Prove It
You start off 5018 ft above the ground and end up 5500 ft above the ground. How far have you travelled vertically?
• Feb 18th 2011, 04:39 AM
Quote:

Originally Posted by vaironxxrd
Hello Guys here its a Geometry homework i had, and i just want to check with you guys if i did this question right since is kind of confusing. First my answers and then the picture with the question just making sure i got the right answer here... I could not scan the steps.
---Rounded to the nearest thousand---
D=5168FT

X=1768FT

(Image)

http://img510.imageshack.us/img510/6...y2question.jpg

You appear to have added 150 ft onto 5018 ft to get D.
Why ?

The vertical drop is the difference in the elevations
• Feb 18th 2011, 05:35 AM
vaironxxrd
Quote:

You appear to have added 150 ft onto 5018 ft to get D.
Why ?

The vertical drop is the difference in the elevations

I actually Took the Focus angle which is 20(Degrees) and found out it was COS Because Adjacent over hypotenus. GOT $$\dfrac{COS20}{1}=$$ $\dfrac{5500}{D}$
• Feb 18th 2011, 05:51 AM
Quote:

Originally Posted by vaironxxrd
I actually Took the Focus angle which is 20(Degrees) and found out it was COS Because Adjacent over hypotenus. GOT $$\dfrac{COS20}{1}=$$ $\dfrac{5500}{D}$

Ok,

You are incorrectly taking that elevation as being the length of the top horizontal blue line,
(whose purpose mainly is to illustrate the angle of depression),
whereas the elevation is "height above sea-level".

(And if that was it's length, D would be longer)
• Feb 18th 2011, 06:12 AM
vaironxxrd
Quote:

Ok,

You are incorrectly taking that elevation as being the length of the top horizontal blue line,
(whose purpose mainly is to illustrate the angle of depression),
whereas the elevation is "height above sea-level".

(And if that was it's length, D would be longer)

I already fixed it but still I get 1409 ft for D
For X I got 482ft
• Feb 18th 2011, 06:32 AM
Quote:

Originally Posted by vaironxxrd
I already fixed it but still I get 1409 ft
For X I got 482ft

That seems fine for D
• Feb 18th 2011, 08:53 AM
vaironxxrd
Quote: