Question

A shell casing has been found in the street at the scene of a murder. A signpost and a mailbox are nearby. The distance from the signpost to the front, right leg of the mailbox is 6. The angle from the shell casing to the front, right leg of the mailbox to the signpost is 55°. The angle from the shell casing to the signpost to the front, right leg of the mailbox is 30°. What is the distance from the shell casing to the front, right leg of the mailbox?

A) 3.6
B) 4.8
C) 5.2
D) 6.9

Answer 1

To find the distance from the shell casing to the front, right leg of the mailbox, we can use trigonometry. The distance is approximately 4.8.

Step-by-step explanation:

To find the distance from the shell casing to the front, right leg of the mailbox, we can use trigonometry. Let's call this distance 'x'. We have a right triangle formed by the shell casing, the mailbox leg, and the signpost. The angle opposite the leg is 55°, and the angle opposite the signpost is 30°. We can use the sine function to find the length of the leg:

sin(55°) = x / 6

Solving for x:

x = 6 * sin(55°)

Using a calculator, we find that x ≈ 4.8.