John's method to determine the width of the stream uses the knowledge
that the tangent of 60° is approximately 1.7.
The proper sequence John would use to find the width of the stream are;
Reasons:
The steps that can be used to measure the width of the stream are;
Step 1: Drive a stake opposite the tree on the other side of the stream.
Step 2: With the aid of a compass, walk at right angles to the line formed by the stake and the tree.
Step 3; Keep walking along the previous path till a point is reached where the angle formed between the line of site to the tree and the walk path is 60°.
Step 4; At the point where the line of sight to the tree is 60°, a second stake is driven in the ground.
Step 5; Measure the distance between the stakes that are placed in the ground.
Step 6; Given that by trigonometry, the ratio of the width of the stream to the distance between the two stakes is tan(60°) ≈ 1.7, multiply the distance between the two stakes by 1.7 to find the width of the stream.
<em>The possible question options are;</em>
<em>John measures the the distance between the two stakes</em>
<em>John uses a compass to walk away from the stakes at a right angle</em>
<em>John multiplies the distance between the two stakes by 1.7 to find the distance</em>
<em>John drives a second stake in the ground</em>
<em>On the path John walks until he finds a line of sight to the tree that equals 60 degrees </em>
<em>John drives a stake opposite the tree to establish a line between two points.</em>
Learn more about trigonometric ratios here:
