A zipline starts 120
feet above the ground and covers a diagonal distance, forming a triangle with the ground. If the angle of elevation where the zip line meets the ground is 65°
, what is the horizontal distance from the base of the tower to where the zip line ends?
To find the horizontal distance from the base of the tower to where the zip line ends, we can use trigonometry.
Let x be the horizontal distance from the base of the tower to where the zip line ends.
We can use the tangent function to find x:
tan(65°) = opposite/adjacent = 120/x
Rearrange the equation to solve for x:
x = 120/tan(65°)
Using a calculator, we find:
x ≈ 120/1.4663 ≈ 81.86
Therefore, the horizontal distance from the base of the tower to where the zip line ends is approximately 81.86 feet.
options are:
56 ft.
51 ft.
132 ft.
257 ft.