Expert: Abe Mantell - 5/31/2009

Question
I'm so sorry to keep asking so many questions, but I have no one else who can help me. I basically just need to know the formulas and answers so I can work out the problem until I get the correct answer.

From a point on the gtound the angle of elevation to a ledge on a building is 27 (degrees), and the distance to the base of the building is 45 meters. How many meters high is the ledge?

(The picture looks like it is making an acute angle/triangle) with 27(degrees) at the angle pointed away from the building, with the distance, from the 27degree angle to the base of the ledge of the building at a 90degree angle, as 45meters. Then from the top of the ledge down to the base it asks what the hieght is in meters.

A. 45/sin 27 degrees
B. 45/tan 27degrees
C. 45 sin 27degrees
D. 45 cos 27degrees
E. 45 tan 27degrees

Answer
Hello Chastity,

No problem asking me!  :-)

You have a right triangle there, so you can use your right triangle
trigonometry (SohCahToa), yes?

Since we know an angle (27 degrees), the adjacent side (a) and want
to know the opposite side (o), we should use the tangent function, to
get: tan(27 degrees)=o/a, let o=x and we have a=45, so...
tan(27)=x/45 ==> x=45tan(27) or about 22.9 meters.

OK?

TTYL, Abe

BTW: What grade are you in?  In which state (or country)?