Question

2. A guy wire for a tree is 20 ft. long, making a 21o angle with the ground. How far is the base of the tree from a stake anchoring the wire?

Answer 1

the base of the tree from a stake anchoring the wire is 18.7 ft long

Explanation:

A guy wire for a tree is 20 ft. long, making a 21 degree angle with the ground.

It forms a right angle triangle. the hypotenuse of the triangle is 20 ft

The adjacent side of the given angle 21 degree is the base of the tree from a stake

Let x be the base length

`cos(theta)=(adjacent)/(hypotenuse)`

`cos(21)=(x)/(20)`

`20cos(21)=x`

`x=18.7`

the base of the tree from a stake anchoring the wire is 18.7 ft long