Artificial satellites that orbit Earth often use VHF signals to communicate with the ground. VHF signals travel in straight lines. The height h of the satellite above Earth and the time T that the satellite can communi- cate with a fixed location on the ground are related by the model h = R ¢ 1 cos 180T P - 1≤ , where R = 3955 mi is the radius of Earth and P is the period for the satellite to orbit Earth. (Source: Schlosser, W., T. Schmidt-Kaler, and E. Milone, Challenges of Astronomy, Springer-Verlag.) (a) Find h to the nearest mile when T = 25 min and P = 140 min. (Evaluate the cosine function in degree mode.) (b) What is the value of h to the nearest mile if T is increased to 30 min?
Artificial satellites that orbit Earth often use VHF
signals to communicate with the ground. VHF signals travel in straight lines. The
height h of the satellite above Earth and the time T that the satellite can communi-
cate with a fixed location on the ground are related by the model
h = R ¢
1
cos 180T
P
- 1≤ ,
where R = 3955 mi is the radius of Earth and P is the period for the satellite to
orbit Earth. (Source: Schlosser, W., T. Schmidt-Kaler, and E. Milone, Challenges of
Astronomy, Springer-Verlag.)
(a) Find h to the nearest mile when T = 25 min and P = 140 min. (Evaluate the
cosine function in degree mode.)
(b) What is the value of h to the nearest mile if T is increased to 30 min?
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