Question

A tree struck by lightning in a storm breaks and falls over to form a triangle with the ground. The tip of the tree makes a 36° angle with the ground 25 ft from the base of the tree. What was the height of the tree to the nearest foot?

Answer 1

Answer: approximately 49 feets

Step-by-step explanation:

The diagram of the tree is shown in the attached photo. The tree fell with its tip forming an angle of 36 degrees with the ground. It forms a right angle triangle,ABC. Angle C is gotten by subtracting the sum of angle A and angle B from 180(sum of angles in a triangle is 180 degrees).

To determine the height of the tree, we will apply trigonometric ratio

Tan # = opposite/ adjacent

Where # = 36 degrees

Opposite = x feets

Adjacent = 25 feets

Tan 36 = x/25

x = 25tan36

x = 25 × 0.7265

x = 18.1625

Height of the tree from the ground to the point where it broke = x = 18.1625 meters.

The entire height of the tree would be the the length of the fallen side of the tree, y + 18.1625m

To get y, we will use Pythagoras theorem

y^2 = 25^2 + 18.1625^2

y^2 = 625 + 329.88

y^2 = 954.88

y = √954.88 = 30.9 meters

Height of the tree before falling was

18.1625+30.9 = 49.0625

The height of the tree was approximately 49 feets