Thread: Questions Help

1. You are hiking up a mountain peak. You begin at a trailhead whose elevation is about 7500 ft. The trail ends near the summit whose elevation is about 2.5 miles. The horizontal distance between the two points is about 18200 ft.. Estimate the angle of elevation from the trailhead to the summit. Round your answer to the nearest tenth of a degree.

2. Marion is observing the launch of a space shuttle from the command center. When she first sees the shuttle, the angle of elevation to it is 16 degrees. Later, the angle of elevation is 74 degrees. If the command center is 1 mile from the launch pad, how far did shuttle travel while Marion was watching. Round to the nearest tenth of a mile.

Thank you whoever answers this. This will help me out a lot. Also can you type an explanation of how you found the answers.

Originally Posted by roinujo1

1. You are hiking up a mountain peak. You begin at a trailhead whose elevation is about 7500 ft. The trail ends near the summit whose elevation is about 2.5 miles. The horizontal distance between the two points is about 18200 ft.. Estimate the angle of elevation from the trailhead to the summit. Round your answer to the nearest tenth of a degree.

2. Marion is observing the launch of a space shuttle from the command center. When she first sees the shuttle, the angle of elevation to it is 16 degrees. Later, the angle of elevation is 74 degrees. If the command center is 1 mile from the launch pad, how far did shuttle travel while Marion was watching. Round to the nearest tenth of a mile.

Thank you whoever answers this. This will help me out a lot. Also can you type an explanation of how you found the answers.

What have you tried? Where are you stuck?

Originally Posted by mr fantastic

What have you tried? Where are you stuck?

I have tried more things then ever but cant find the right answer please help

Originally Posted by roinujo1

I have tried more things then ever but cant find the right answer please help

Please show what you have tried. Then we might have some idea of how best to help you.

Heres what i did:
1. Converted 2.5 miles to 13200 ft
then i used the inverse tangent with 13200 ft/7500 ft.
Thats how i got an elevation of about 36 degrees
Never actually did number 2

Originally Posted by roinujo1

Heres what i did:
1. Converted 2.5 miles to 13200 ft
2. then i used the inverse tangent with 13200 ft/7500 ft.

Step 1 is fine.

For step 2 you've taken 7500 (your starting elevation) as the the horizontal distance. Instead you should use the figure you got in step 1 and the initial height (given in the question) to find the change in elevation

Can you show me how to do this

Originally Posted by roinujo1

1. You are hiking up a mountain peak. You begin at a trailhead whose elevation is about 7500 ft. The trail ends near the summit whose elevation is about 2.5 miles. The horizontal distance between the two points is about 18200 ft.. Estimate the angle of elevation from the trailhead to the summit. Round your answer to the nearest tenth of a degree.

13200 ft = end elevation
7500 ft = initial elevation.

Do you know how to work out the change in elevation from those two figures?

Originally Posted by roinujo1

Can you show me how to do this

Can you help

Originally Posted by roinujo1

Can you help

You have been given a lot of help here. I suggest you first try drawing a diagram to see how to use the latest help posted.

Originally Posted by e^(i*pi)

13200 ft = end elevation
7500 ft = initial elevation.

Do you know how to work out the change in elevation from those two figures?

You minus the end elevation to the inital, right.

Originally Posted by roinujo1

You minus the end elevation to the inital, right.

Well, you subtract initial elevation from the final- "minus" is an adjective, not a verb. But yes, that is the right idea. Now, what is the change in elevation in this problem?

Originally Posted by HallsofIvy

Well, you subtract initial elevation from the final- "minus" is an adjective, not a verb. But yes, that is the right idea. Now, what is the change in elevation in this problem?

The elevation change would be 5700 ft, right?

Originally Posted by roinujo1

The elevation change would be 5700 ft, right?

Yes.

You now know the height (opposite) and horizontal distance (adjacent) so you can use a trig ratio to solve

Originally Posted by e^(i*pi)

Yes.

You now know the height (opposite) and horizontal distance (adjacent) so you can use a trig ratio to solve

But we dont know the height.