A silo is 40 feet high and 16 feet across. find the angle of depression from the top edge to floor. How do you solve this?
Look at example 21:
http://www.mathsteacher.com.au/year10/ch15_trigonometry/12_elevation_depression/23elevdep.htm
The only difference is you don't have angle, so you would have to take the inverse of tan to find the angle.
To find the angle of depression, we need to visualize the right triangle formed between the top edge of the silo, the floor, and the line of sight. Here's how you can solve it:
1. Draw a diagram: Sketch a rough diagram representing the silo, including its height, diameter, and the line of sight from the top edge to the floor.
2. Identify the relevant sides: In this case, the height of the silo (40 feet) will be the opposite side of the angle of depression, and half the diameter (8 feet) will be the adjacent side.
3. Use the tangent function: The tangent of an angle in a right triangle is equal to the ratio of the length of the opposite side to the length of the adjacent side. Mathematically, we can express this as:
tangent(angle) = opposite / adjacent
In our case, this would be:
tangent(angle) = 40 feet / 8 feet
4. Calculate the angle: To find the angle, we'll need to take the inverse tangent (arctan) of both sides. On most calculators, this function is denoted as "tan^(-1)" or "atan".
angle = atan(40/8)
Using a calculator, we can evaluate this to find the angle of depression.
Please note that when using a calculator function, make sure it is in the correct mode (degrees or radians) to get the angle in the desired units.