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Help with this question!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Help with this question!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!-example-1

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Answer: 30 feet

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It might help to draw a triangle to represent what's going on. See the diagram below.

Let's call the triangle ABC. We'll place point A at the 90 degree angle, so it's at the base of the tower. Place point B where the knight is located. Point C is the location of the window in the tower.

The knight is 15 feet away from the base, meaning AB = 15. With respect to the reference angle (B = 60), side AB = 15 is the adjacent side. The length of the ladder BC is the unknown hypotenuse. We'll call this x for now.

We'll use the cosine rule to connect the adjacent and hypotenuse.

cos(angle) = adjacent/hypotenuse

cos(B) = AB/BC

cos(60) = 15/x

x*cos(60) = 15

x = 15/cos(60)

x = 30

Your calculator needs to be in degree mode.

Because x = 30, we conclude that the ladder needs to be BC = 30 feet long.

Side note: For any special 30-60-90 right triangle, the hypotenuse is always twice as long compared to the shorter leg.

Help with this question!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!-example-1
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