Final answer:
To determine the area of a triangular parcel of land from a photograph, calculate the real-life dimensions by applying the scale from the focal length and distance above ground, convert inches to feet, use Heron's formula to find the area in square feet, then convert the area to acres.
Step-by-step explanation:
To calculate the area of a triangular parcel of land from a vertical photograph, we first need to determine the actual ground dimensions that correspond to the dimensions measured on the photograph. The scale of the photograph is given by the ratio of the focal length of the camera to the height above ground from which the photograph was taken. Using the given measurements, the scale is 6 inches per 6050 feet. To convert inches to feet, we know that 1 inch is equivalent to 1/12 of a foot.
We can calculate the real-life side lengths of the triangle by multiplying the sides by the scale factor. After converting the inches to feet, the area of the triangle can be obtained using Heron's formula, which requires computing the semi-perimeter (s) as (a + b + c) / 2 and then applying the formula √[s(s-a)(s-b)(s-c)], where a, b, and c are the side lengths of the triangle. Finally, to convert the area from square feet to acres, we use the conversion factor that 1 acre equals 43,560 square feet.
Note that this approach will provide the area in square feet, which can then be converted to acres. However, without actual field measurements or additional information about the scaling and conversion process, we cannot provide a specific numerical answer.