A kayaker sees a bear in the distance. If the kayaker is 48 yards lower than the bear and the angle of elevation from the kayaker to the bear is 15°, find the horizontal distance from the kayaker to the bear. please help
48/x = tan 15°
To find the horizontal distance from the kayaker to the bear, you can use the tangent function (tan) since you have the angle of elevation and the vertical distance (48 yards) between them.
The tangent function is defined as the ratio of the length of the side opposite the angle to the length of the side adjacent to the angle in a right triangle.
Let's assume that the horizontal distance you want to find is represented by "x" yards.
Using the tangent function, we can set up the following equation:
tan(15°) = 48 / x
To solve for x, we need to isolate it in the equation. We can do this by multiplying both sides of the equation by x:
x * tan(15°) = 48
Now, divide both sides of the equation by tan(15°):
x = 48 / tan(15°)
Using a calculator, evaluate tan(15°) to get an approximate value. Once you have that value, divide 48 by the result to find the horizontal distance from the kayaker to the bear.