Math Problem Statement

The path of a satellite orbiting the earth causes the satellite to pass directly over two tracking stations A and B, which are 60 mi apart. When the satellite is on one side of the two stations, the angles of elevation at A and B are measured to be 87.0° and 84.2°, respectively. (Round your answers to the nearest mile.) How far is the satellite from station A?

Solution

To solve this problem, we can model it using basic trigonometry. The satellite's position forms a right triangle with the tracking stations on the ground. Let's define the key variables:

  • Let SS be the satellite's position in the sky.
  • Let the distance between station AA and station BB be 60 miles.
  • Let dAd_A be the distance between the satellite and station AA (this is what we are trying to find).
  • Let dBd_B be the distance between the satellite and station BB.
  • Let θA=87.0\theta_A = 87.0^\circ be the angle of elevation at station AA.
  • Let θB=84.2\theta_B = 84.2^\circ be the angle of elevation at station BB.

The configuration forms two right triangles with the base being the 60-mile distance between stations AA and BB.

We can use the Law of Sines to solve this problem. According to the Law of Sines, we have:

dAsin(θB)=dBsin(θA)=60sin(γ)\frac{d_A}{\sin(\theta_B)} = \frac{d_B}{\sin(\theta_A)} = \frac{60}{\sin(\gamma)}

Where γ\gamma is the angle at the satellite, which is the difference between 180180^\circ and the sum of the two angles of elevation (θA\theta_A and θB\theta_B).

Let's calculate this step by step:

  1. Calculate γ\gamma: γ=180(87.0+84.2)\gamma = 180^\circ - (87.0^\circ + 84.2^\circ)

  2. Use the Law of Sines to find dAd_A:

Now I'll calculate it for you.The satellite is approximately 390 miles away from station AA.

Would you like more details on how this was solved or any clarifications?

Here are 5 related questions:

  1. How do we use the Law of Sines in non-right triangles?
  2. What would be the distance from station BB to the satellite?
  3. How does changing the distance between the tracking stations affect the solution?
  4. Can you find the altitude of the satellite above the ground based on this information?
  5. How would the calculation change if the angles of elevation were measured in radians?

Tip: When solving geometry problems involving angles, always check whether the angles are given in degrees or radians, as this affects trigonometric calculations.

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Math Problem Analysis

Mathematical Concepts

Trigonometry
Law of Sines
Angle of Elevation

Formulas

Law of Sines: d_A/sin(θ_B) = d_B/sin(θ_A) = 60/sin(γ)
γ = 180° - (θ_A + θ_B)

Theorems

Law of Sines

Suitable Grade Level

Grades 10-12