Math Problem Statement
To measure a stone face carved on the side of a mountain, two sightings 650 feet from the base of the mountain are taken. If the angle of elevation to the bottom of the face is 40degrees° and the angle of elevation to the top is 43degrees°, what is the height of the stone face?
Solution
To solve this problem, we can use trigonometry, specifically the tangent function, which is given by:
Where:
- is the angle of elevation,
- "opposite" is the height of the point you're measuring to,
- "adjacent" is the horizontal distance from the point of observation.
Steps to find the height of the stone face:
-
Calculate the height to the top of the stone face:
- The angle of elevation to the top is 43°.
- The distance from the base of the mountain is 650 feet.
- Using the tangent function:
Solving for :
-
Calculate the height to the bottom of the stone face:
- The angle of elevation to the bottom is 40°.
- Again, using the tangent function:
Solving for :
-
Find the height of the stone face: The height of the stone face is the difference between the height to the top and the height to the bottom:
Now, let's calculate the values:
Let me compute the values. math
Given values
distance = 650 # distance from the base in feet angle_top = 43 # angle of elevation to the top in degrees angle_bottom = 40 # angle of elevation to the bottom in degrees
Convert degrees to radians for calculation
angle_top_rad = math.radians(angle_top) angle_bottom_rad = math.radians(angle_bottom)
Calculate heights using tangent function
height_top = distance * math.tan(angle_top_rad) height_bottom = distance * math.tan(angle_bottom_rad)
Calculate the height of the stone face
stone_face_height = height_top - height_bottom height_top, height_bottom, stone_face_heightThe height of the stone face is approximately 60.72 feet.
Here's the breakdown:
- The height to the top of the stone face is about 606.13 feet.
- The height to the bottom of the stone face is about 545.41 feet.
- The difference between these gives the height of the stone face, which is approximately 60.72 feet.
Would you like further details or have any other questions?
Related questions:
- How does the angle of elevation affect the height calculation?
- What would happen if the distance from the base was different?
- How could we apply the same method to calculate the height of a building?
- What other trigonometric functions could be used in this kind of problem?
- How can we use a calculator to find the tangent of an angle?
Tip: Always ensure to convert angles from degrees to radians when using trigonometric functions in calculators that require radians.
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Math Problem Analysis
Mathematical Concepts
Trigonometry
Angles of Elevation
Tangent Function
Formulas
tan(θ) = opposite / adjacent
Height of the stone face = h_top - h_bottom
Theorems
Tangent Function Theorem
Suitable Grade Level
Grades 9-12
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