Answer:
The distance between the landing pad ≈ 23.13 miles
Step-by-step explanation:
The plane saw 2 landing pads in opposite direction . The angles of depression to pad A and pad B are 46° and 16°. The straight line distance from the helicopter to pad A is 5 miles .
The illustration forms a triangle with 2 half's of a right angle triangle.
Pad A right angle triangle
let us use this triangle to find the opposite sides which is the same for both right angle triangle formed .
tan 46° = opposite/adjacent
tan 46° = a/5
a = 5 tan 46°
a = 5 × 1.03553031379
a = 5.17765156895
a = 5. 2 miles
Pad B right angle triangle
Let us find the straight line distance from the helicopter to pad B.
The distance is the adjacent side of the triangle.
tan 16° = opposite/adjacent
tan 16° = 5.2/adjacent
adjacent = 5.2/0.28674538575
adjacent = 18.134555108
adjacent = 18.135
Straight line distance from the helicopter to pad B = 18.135 miles
The distance between the landing pad = 5 + 18.135 = 23.134555108 miles
The distance between the landing pads ≈ 23.13 miles
