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A helicopter hovers 950 over......

A helicopter hovers 950 over......-example-1
User Sayuj
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2 Answers

4 votes
Okay, so here's the equation:
tan 44 = d/950
0.01770469927 (I used a calculator to solve tan 44, so let's just use to the nearest hundredth)
0.02 = d/950
100d = 1900
isolate d:
d = 19
19 feet
User Marcelo Ribeiro
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5.7k points
3 votes
Comment
You have to assume that P is on the coast.
You also have to assume that d and the horizontal dotted line defining the 46 degrees are parallel.

Givens
The angle of depression = 46 degrees
The height of the helicopter = 950 feet.

Formula
height helicopter / d = Tan(46)

The thing is that the angle of elevation from P forms an angle with the angle of depression that made 2 alternate interior angles which are equal when two parallel lines and a traversal are given.

The line connecting P and the helicopter is the traversal.

Solution
height of helicopter = 950
d = ??
angle = 46o

Tan(46) = 950/d
d = 950 / tan(46)
d = 950 / 1.03553
d = 917 feet from the island to P <<<<<< answer
User Parmeet
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5.2k points