Find the horizontal width of a skateboard ramp if it has height 3 ft and a 20-degree incline. Round your answer to the nearest hundredth of a foot.

Trigonometry (11th Edition)
11th Edition
ISBN:9780134217437
Author:Margaret L. Lial, John Hornsby, David I. Schneider, Callie Daniels
Publisher:Margaret L. Lial, John Hornsby, David I. Schneider, Callie Daniels
Chapter1: Trigonometric Functions
Section: Chapter Questions
Problem 1RE: 1. Give the measures of the complement and the supplement of an angle measuring 35°.
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The problem is to find the horizontal width of a skateboard ramp given the height and angle of incline.

**Problem**: 
Find the horizontal width of a skateboard ramp if it has a height of 3 feet and a 20-degree incline. Round your answer to the nearest hundredth of a foot.

**Solution**:
To solve this problem, you can use trigonometry, specifically the tangent function in a right triangle, which relates the angle to the opposite side and adjacent side.

Let's denote:
- The height of the ramp (the vertical side of the right triangle) as \( h = 3 \) ft.
- The angle of the ramp incline as \( \theta = 20^\circ \).
- The horizontal width (the length of the adjacent side to the angle), which we need to find, as \( w \).

Using the tangent function:
\[ \tan(\theta) = \frac{\text{opposite}}{\text{adjacent}} \]
\[ \tan(20^\circ) = \frac{3}{w} \]

Solving for \( w \):
\[ w = \frac{3}{\tan(20^\circ)} \]

Using a calculator to find \( \tan(20^\circ) \approx 0.364 \):

\[ w \approx \frac{3}{0.364} \]
\[ w \approx 8.24 \]

Hence, the horizontal width of the ramp is approximately 8.24 feet.
Transcribed Image Text:The problem is to find the horizontal width of a skateboard ramp given the height and angle of incline. **Problem**: Find the horizontal width of a skateboard ramp if it has a height of 3 feet and a 20-degree incline. Round your answer to the nearest hundredth of a foot. **Solution**: To solve this problem, you can use trigonometry, specifically the tangent function in a right triangle, which relates the angle to the opposite side and adjacent side. Let's denote: - The height of the ramp (the vertical side of the right triangle) as \( h = 3 \) ft. - The angle of the ramp incline as \( \theta = 20^\circ \). - The horizontal width (the length of the adjacent side to the angle), which we need to find, as \( w \). Using the tangent function: \[ \tan(\theta) = \frac{\text{opposite}}{\text{adjacent}} \] \[ \tan(20^\circ) = \frac{3}{w} \] Solving for \( w \): \[ w = \frac{3}{\tan(20^\circ)} \] Using a calculator to find \( \tan(20^\circ) \approx 0.364 \): \[ w \approx \frac{3}{0.364} \] \[ w \approx 8.24 \] Hence, the horizontal width of the ramp is approximately 8.24 feet.
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