Answer: The distance from Shively to the tower is 386.1 meters
The distance from Sparzak to the tower is 226.9 meters
The distance from Shively to Spazak is 386.1 m + 226.9m = 616 meters.
Explanation:
You can create a triangle rectangle between the position of each boy, the bottom of the tower and the top of the tower.
From the left kid (i think is Shively), we have that the top angle (formed between the perpendicular line to the tower and the tower) must be:
A = 90° - 40° =50°
(that is a 90° angle divided by the hypotenuse of the triangle, then if one side is 40°, the other angle should be such that when we add bot angles the sum is 90°)
Now, we want to find the opposite cathetus to this angle, so we can use the relation:
Tan(A) = Opposite cath/adjacent cath.
And we know that the adjacent cathetus, the tower, is 324m long.
then:
Tan(50°) = X/324m.
Tan(50°)*324m = X = 386.1m
now for the other kid (the one in the right, Sparzak), the angle will be 90° - 55° = 35°.
So we have:
Tan(35°) = X/324m
Tan(45°)*324m = 226.9m
then:
The distance from Shively to the tower is 386.1 meters
The distance from Sparzak to the tower is 226.9 meters
The distance from Shively to Spazak is 386.1 m + 226.9m = 616 meters.