Question

A boat is anchored in Lake Michigan by an anchor that is 30 meters long. The water is only 18 meters deep, but the boat has drifted south of the anchor so that all 30 meters of the anchor is being used. To the nearest degree, what is the angle of depression that the anchor's chain makes with the water level?

Answer 1

36.87°

Step-by-step explanation:

length of anchor (L) = 30 m

depth of water (d) = 18 m

find the angle of depression the anchor chain makes with the water level

from the diagram attached the anchor chain, the water bed and the depth of the water all form a right angle triangle

therefore

cos θ =
`(d)/(L)`

cos θ =
`(18)/(30)`

θ =
`cos^(-1).(18)/(30)` = 53.13°

the angle of depression (Ф) = 90 - 53.13 = 36.87°