Final answer:
To estimate how many books can be stacked before the stack tips, the group of students would need to know the height of each book and the maximum stable angle of the stack, as they can use trigonometry to calculate the number of books.
Step-by-step explanation:
To estimate how many books they can place on top of each other before the stack tips, the group of students would need to know the height of each book and the maximum angle at which the stack can remain stable. With this information, they can use trigonometry to calculate the number of books.
Let's assume the height of each book is h and the maximum angle at which the stack remains stable is θ. The overhang between each book is 1 inch, which is approximately 2.54 cm. Using trigonometry, the height of the stack can be calculated as h + (h * tan(θ)) + (h * tan(θ))^2 + ...
By substituting the given values and calculating the height of the stack, the group of students can estimate the number of books they can place on top of each other before the stack tips.