A tree casts a shadow of 24 feet at the same time as a 5-foot tall man casts a shadow of 4feet. Find the height of the tree.
1 answer:
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Answer:
see the attachments for the two solutions
Step-by-step explanation:
When the given angle is opposite the shorter of the given sides, there will generally be two solutions. The exception is the case where the triangle is a right triangle (the ratio of the given sides is equal to the sine of the given angle). If the given angle is opposite the longer of the given sides, there is only one solution.
When a side and its opposite angle are given, as here, the law of sines can be used to solve the triangle(s). When the given angle is included between two given sides, the law of cosines can be used to solve the (one) triangle.
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Here, the law of sines can be used to solve the triangle:
A = arcsin(a/c·sin(C)) = arcsin(25/24·sin(70°)) = 78.19° or 101.81°
B = 180° -70° -A = 31.81° or 8.19°
b = 24·sin(B)/sin(70°) = 13.46 or 3.64
