Question

You lay a mirror flat on the floor with one edge against a wall and aim a laser at the mirror. The ray reflects from the mirror and strikes the wall. The plane of the incident and reflected rays is perpendicular to the wall. The ray from the laser strikes the mirror 43.3 cm from the wall, and the reflected ray strikes the wall 38.3 cm above the mirror. Find the angle of incidence of the laser ray on the mirror.

Answer 1

`48.5^(\circ)`

Step-by-step explanation:

We are given that

Distance of the point from the wall where the ray strikes=43.3 cm

Distance of the point from the wall where the reflected ray strikes=38.3 cm

We have to find the angle of incidence of the laser ray on the mirror.

Let angle of incidence of the laser ray on the mirror=
`\theta`

`tan(90-\theta)=(38.3)/(43.3)`

By using the formula

`tanx=(perpendicular\;side)/(base)`

`tan(90-\theta)=0.885`

`90-\theta=tan^(-1)(0.885)=41.5^(\circ)`

`\theta=90-41.5=48.5^(\circ)`