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Q5.Jumbo is standing on top of a cliff looking at a speed boat out at sea.The vertical of the cliff from the base (sea level) to jumbo is 80m and the straight distance from jumbo to the speed boat is 170m.

A. Find the horizontal distance from the speed boat to the base of the cliff.

B. If a helicopter is flying 20m directly above jumbo, what is the distance between the helicopter and the speed boat?​

User Standard
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1 Answer

19 votes
19 votes

Answer:

A) 150 m

B) 180.28 m

Explanation:

A) In order to find the horizontal distance from the base of the cliff to the speed boat, use the Pythagorean theorem to calculate the length of the missing side.

We are told that one of the sides is 80 m and the hypotenuse is 170 m. Therefore,

  • a² + b² = c²
  • (80)² + b² = (170)²
  • b² = 170² - 80²
  • b² = 22500
  • b = 150

The horizontal distance between the base of the cliff and the boat is 150 m.

B) Now, the side that was 80 m is now 100 m (includes the height that the helicopter is above Jumbo). The horizontal distance remains the same, 150 m, but the hypotenuse is different. Solving for the hypotenuse will give us the distance between the helicopter and the speed boat.

  • (100)² + (150)² = c²
  • 32500 = c²
  • 180.28 = c

The distance between the helicopter and the speed boat is 180.28 m.

User Burgan
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