Question

In one area, the lowest angle of elevation of the sun in winter is 27.5°. Find the minimum distance x that a plant needing full sun can be placed from a fence that is 5 feet high. Round your answer to the tenths place.

Answer 1

Answer:

The minimum distance x that a plant needing full sun can be placed from a fence that is 5 feet high is 4.435 ft

Step-by-step explanation:

Here we have the lowest angle of elevation of the sun given as 27.5° and the height of the fence is 5 feet.

We will then find the position to place the plant where the suns rays can get to the base of the plant

Note that the fence is in between the sun and the plant, therefore we have

Height of fence = 5 ft.

Angle of location x from the fence = lowest angle of elevation of the sun, θ

This forms a right angled triangle with the fence as the height and the location of the plant as the base

Therefore, the length of the base is given as

Height × cos θ

= 5 ft × cos 27.5° = 4.435 ft

The plant should be placed at a location x = 4.435 ft from the fence.