A ship is due west of a light house. A second ship is 12 miles south of the first ship. the bearing from the second ship to the light house is N 64 degrees. How far to the nearest tenth of a mile is the first ship from the lighthouse?
I know what the answer is, but I want to learn how to set up the problem in order to find that answer. Any help is greatly appreciated.
I know what the answer is, but I want to learn how to set up the problem in order to find that answer. Any help is greatly appreciated.
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Draw a triangle. The second ship is at the bottom tip of the triangle, with the angle of the lines going up to the first ship and over to the lighthouse is 64 degrees. The First ship sits above the second, with the angle going down to the first ship and over to the lighthouse being a right angle (90 degrees). From the lighthouse, the angle between the two ships is 26 (180 - 90 - 64).
If the second ship is 12 miles away, there are a few ways to handle this:
1.) tan = opp/hyp, so tan (64) = x/12. multiply both sides by 12, and you'll have the distance of the first ship to the second.
2.) tan (26) = 12/x. Multiply both sides by x, then divide both sides by tan(26), and you'll get the same answer.
~24.6036 miles.
If the second ship is 12 miles away, there are a few ways to handle this:
1.) tan = opp/hyp, so tan (64) = x/12. multiply both sides by 12, and you'll have the distance of the first ship to the second.
2.) tan (26) = 12/x. Multiply both sides by x, then divide both sides by tan(26), and you'll get the same answer.
~24.6036 miles.