Math Problem Statement

A man, M, positions himself on a river bank so he can observe two poles A and B of equal height on the opposite bank. The angle of elevation to the top of pole A is 22°, and the angle of elevation to the top of pole B is 19°. Given that A and B are 100 m apart, determine the width of the river.

Solution

To solve for the width of the river (distance dd from point MM to line ABAB), we can apply trigonometric principles based on the angles of elevation given and the known distance between poles AA and BB.

Here's a step-by-step outline of the solution:

  1. Define Heights and Angles:

    • Let the height of both poles AA and BB be hh.
    • The angle of elevation to pole AA from MM is 2222^\circ.
    • The angle of elevation to pole BB from MM is 1919^\circ.
    • The distance between poles AA and BB is 100100 meters.
  2. Trigonometric Relationships:

    • From point MM to point AA, the angle of elevation is 2222^\circ, so we can write: tan(22)=hd\tan(22^\circ) = \frac{h}{d}
    • From point MM to point BB, the angle of elevation is 1919^\circ, and since AA and BB are 100100 meters apart, we can write: tan(19)=hd+100\tan(19^\circ) = \frac{h}{d + 100}
  3. Set Up Equations:

    • We now have two equations: h=dtan(22)h = d \cdot \tan(22^\circ) h=(d+100)tan(19)h = (d + 100) \cdot \tan(19^\circ)
  4. Equate and Solve for dd:

    • By equating the expressions for hh: dtan(22)=(d+100)tan(19)d \cdot \tan(22^\circ) = (d + 100) \cdot \tan(19^\circ)
    • Expand and rearrange to isolate dd: d(tan(22)tan(19))=100tan(19)d \cdot (\tan(22^\circ) - \tan(19^\circ)) = 100 \cdot \tan(19^\circ) d=100tan(19)tan(22)tan(19)d = \frac{100 \cdot \tan(19^\circ)}{\tan(22^\circ) - \tan(19^\circ)}
  5. Calculate dd:

    • Using approximate values for tan(22)0.4040\tan(22^\circ) \approx 0.4040 and tan(19)0.3443\tan(19^\circ) \approx 0.3443: d=1000.34430.40400.344334.430.0597576.6metersd = \frac{100 \cdot 0.3443}{0.4040 - 0.3443} \approx \frac{34.43}{0.0597} \approx 576.6 \, \text{meters}

Therefore, the width of the river is approximately 576.6576.6 meters.

Would you like more details or have any questions?

Here are five related questions:

  1. How would the solution change if the angles of elevation were different?
  2. Can this method be applied if poles AA and BB were at different heights?
  3. How would we approach the problem if the distance between poles AA and BB were unknown?
  4. What if we only had one angle of elevation and the height of the pole?
  5. How could this method be used in real-world applications beyond river width measurement?

Tip: When solving for distances in trigonometry, always ensure angles are accurate, as small errors can lead to large miscalculations in results.

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Math Problem Analysis

Mathematical Concepts

Trigonometry
Right Triangle
Angle of Elevation

Formulas

tan(θ) = opposite/adjacent

Theorems

Trigonometric Ratios in Right Triangles

Suitable Grade Level

Grade 10