Question

The moon forms a right triangle with the Earth and the sun during one of its phases, as shown below. A scientist measures the angle x and the distance y between the Earth and the sun. Using complete sentences, explain how the scientist can use only these two measurements to calculate the distance between the moon and the sun.

Answer 1

Using the Law of Sines  (sina/A=sinb/B=sinc/C for any triangle)

sinx/y=sin90/d and since sin90=1 we can say that that distance from moon to sun is:

d=y/sinx