trig help.

[ahndoruuu]

I need to know how to solve this problem:

At a distance of 23 feet from the base of a flag pole, the angle of elevation to the top of a flag that is 3.1 feet tall is 51.8 degrees. The angle of elevation to the bottom of the flag is 48.6 degrees. The pole extends one foot above the flag. Find the height of the pole.


Thank you in advance :]

 

[Denis]

This is all that's required to solve your problem:
At a distance of 23 feet from the base of a flag pole, the angle of elevation to the top of a flag is 51.8 degrees.
The pole extends one foot above the flag. Find the height of the pole.

Draw a diagram: you'll get a right triangle; do you understand that?
If so, what is the measure of the 3 angles in that triangle?
If not, you need classroom help.

 

[ahndoruuu]

i understand what you're saying, the extraneous information just flustered me.

i drew it out, since I have 51.8 degrees as an angle, and one side being 23 feet.

tan 51.8 degrees= opposite side/23ft.

solving for opposite side, yields 29.22 feet.

but since the angle of elevation is to the top of the flag only, and the pole extends 1 foot further, add 1 to get 30.22 feet.

correct?

 

[mmm4444bot]

… get 30.22 feet. correct?



Yes, although the wording of "top" and "bottom" is somewhat ambiguous. I guess we need to assume that the author is trying to refer to two points where the flag touches the pole.

 

[Denis]

Geeeezzzz...if your teacher's aim is to teach you how to calculate a side of a right triangle
given an angle and a side, then he/she should be FIRED for creating silly confusion :shock: