Get expert insights and community support for your questions on IDNLearn.com. Get comprehensive answers to all your questions from our network of experienced experts.

5.INDIRECT MEASUREMENT Mr. Dominguez is standing on a 40-foot
ocean bluff near his home. He can see his two friends on the beach
below. If his line of sight is 6 feet above the ground and the angles of
depression to his friends are 34° and 48°, how far apart are his
friends to the nearest foot?


Sagot :

Using the slope concept, it is found that his friends are 20 feet apart.

What is a slope?

The slope is given by the vertical change divided by the horizontal change, and it's also the tangent of the angle of depression.

For the first friend, there is a vertical change of 34 feet and an angle of 34º, hence his position is:

[tex]\tan{34^\circ} = \frac{34}{x_1}[/tex]

[tex]x_1 = \frac{34}{\tan{34^\circ}}[/tex]

[tex]x_1 = 50.4[/tex]

For the second friend, there is a vertical change of 34 feet and an angle of 48º, hence his position is:

[tex]\tan{48^\circ} = \frac{34}{x_1}[/tex]

[tex]x_1 = \frac{34}{\tan{48^\circ}}[/tex]

[tex]x_2 = 30.6[/tex]

The difference is of:

50.4 - 30.6 = 19.8.

Rounding to the nearest foot, his friends are 20 feet apart.

More can be learned about the slope concept at https://brainly.com/question/18090623