Final answer:
The angle of a ramp where the horizontal distance is twice the vertical rise is approximately 26.6 degrees to the nearest tenth of a degree, calculated using the inverse tangent function of the ratio between the rise and run.
Step-by-step explanation:
To find the angle of a ramp where the horizontal distance is twice the vertical rise, we can use trigonometry. Specifically, we can use the tangent function, which is the ratio of the opposite side to the adjacent side in a right-angled triangle. In this scenario, the vertical rise is the opposite side, and the horizontal distance, being twice the vertical rise, is the adjacent side.
The formula we will use is:
tan(θ) = opposite / adjacent
Let's denote the vertical rise as 'h' and the horizontal distance as '2h'. Plugging these into the formula gives us:
tan(θ) = h / (2h) = 1 / 2
Now, we use the inverse tangent function (arctan) to find θ:
θ = arctan(1/2)
Using a calculator:
θ ≈ 26.565 degrees
To the nearest tenth of a degree:
θ ≈ 26.6 degrees
This means the ramp angle is approximately 26.6 degrees to the nearest tenth of a degree.