Question

An athlete stands on top of a diving platform preparing to take a running start. She needs to complete an acrobatic dive that involves landing in the water 13 feet away (horizontally) from the end of the diving platform. The angle of depression from the athlete's feet at the end of the diving platform to the spot on the water where she wishes to land is 68.5°.

How tall is the diving platform that the diver is standing on?

The diving platform is approximately __________ feet high.

Answer 1

33

Explanation:

tan(68.5) = height/13

height = 13 tan(68.5)

= 33.0024226436

Answer 2

33 feet.

Explanation:

We have a triangle whose right angle is formed from the height of the platform h and the water. The leg joining h is 13 feet long and the angle between the end of the platform and the spot on the water where she lands = the angle of depression = 68.5 degrees,

So tan 68.5 = h / 13

h = 13 tan 68.5

h = 33 feet high.