Question

Which ratio would help find the distance the person is from the flagpole if the angle of elevation is 30°?

a) tan(30°)
b) cos(30°)
c) sin(30°)
d) cot(30°)

Answer 1

The correct trigonometric ratio for finding the distance from the flagpole with a 30° angle of elevation is cos(30°), as it relates the adjacent side (distance) to the hypotenuse.

Step-by-step explanation:

To find the distance a person is from the flagpole given an angle of elevation of 30°, we need to identify the trigonometric ratio that relates the angle of elevation to the adjacent side (distance from the flagpole) and the opposite side (height of the flagpole). In this scenario, the cosine function is most appropriate since it relates the adjacent side to the hypotenuse of the right triangle formed by the person's line of sight to the flagpole.

So the correct ratio for finding the distance from the flagpole at a 30° angle of elevation is cos(30°). To find the distance, we would use the cosine function in the equation:

distance = height / cos(30°)