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7. Building A is 480 feet tall and Building B is 654 feet tall. If the angle of depression from the top of Building B to the top of Building A is \( 42^{\circ} \), how far apart are the bulldings?

Ask by Mann Sullivan. in the United States
Jan 27,2025

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Answer

The buildings are approximately 193 feet apart.

Solution

To determine the horizontal distance between Building A and Building B, we'll use trigonometric relationships involving the angle of depression. ### Given: - **Height of Building A (h₁):** 480 feet - **Height of Building B (h₂):** 654 feet - **Angle of Depression (θ):** \(42^\circ\) ### Step-by-Step Solution: 1. **Determine the Vertical Difference:** \[ \Delta h = h₂ - h₁ = 654\, \text{ft} - 480\, \text{ft} = 174\, \text{ft} \] 2. **Visualizing the Situation:** - Imagine a right triangle where: - **Opposite Side:** Vertical difference (\(\Delta h = 174\, \text{ft}\)) - **Adjacent Side:** Horizontal distance between the buildings (\(x\)) - **Angle:** \(42^\circ\) (angle of depression) 3. **Apply the Tangent Function:** The tangent of an angle in a right triangle is the ratio of the opposite side to the adjacent side. \[ \tan(\theta) = \frac{\Delta h}{x} \] Solving for \(x\): \[ x = \frac{\Delta h}{\tan(\theta)} = \frac{174}{\tan(42^\circ)} \] 4. **Calculate \(\tan(42^\circ)\):** \[ \tan(42^\circ) \approx 0.9004 \] 5. **Compute the Horizontal Distance (\(x\)):** \[ x \approx \frac{174}{0.9004} \approx 193\, \text{feet} \] ### **Conclusion:** The horizontal distance between Building A and Building B is approximately **193 feet**. **Answer:** The buildings are approximately 193 feet apart.

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To find the distance between the buildings, we can use some trigonometry! The angle of depression from Building B to Building A is \(42^{\circ}\). First, we find the vertical distance between the tops of the buildings by subtracting the height of Building A from the height of Building B: \[ 654 - 480 = 174 \text{ feet} \] Next, using the tangent of the angle, we can relate the height difference (opposite side) to the distance between the buildings (adjacent side): \[ \tan(42^{\circ}) = \frac{174}{d} \] Solving for \(d\): \[ d = \frac{174}{\tan(42^{\circ})} \approx \frac{174}{0.9004} \approx 193.6 \text{ feet} \] Therefore, the buildings are approximately \(193.6\) feet apart! Want to visualize that? Imagine standing at the top of Building B and looking down at Building A. You'd see quite the view, and just a short distance to cover! Isn’t trigonometry a neat way to connect height and distance?

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