How long should a wheel chair ramp be if the angle of incline is to be 33° and the vertical end of the ramp is to be 3 feet high? Round to the nearest tenth.

Trigonometry (MindTap Course List)
8th Edition
ISBN:9781305652224
Author:Charles P. McKeague, Mark D. Turner
Publisher:Charles P. McKeague, Mark D. Turner
Chapter7: Triangles
Section7.1: The Law Of Sines
Problem 52PS: Gina is standing near a building and notices that the angle of elevation to the top of the building...
icon
Related questions
Question
**Educational Website Content - Trigonometry Applied in Real-Life Situations: Calculating the Length of a Wheelchair Ramp**

**Question:**
How long should a wheelchair ramp be if the angle of incline is to be 33 degrees and the vertical end of the ramp is to be 3 feet high? Round to the nearest tenth.

**Answer Choices:**
- A) 3.6 ft
- B) 1.6 ft
- C) 5.5 ft
- D) 4.6 ft

**Explanation:**
To determine the length of the wheelchair ramp, we need to apply trigonometric principles, specifically the sine function, which relates the angle of incline to the opposite side (the height) and the hypotenuse (the ramp length). The sine function is defined as:

\[ \sin(\theta) = \frac{\text{opposite}}{\text{hypotenuse}} \]

Where:
- \(\theta\) is the angle of incline (33 degrees)
- The opposite side is the vertical height of the ramp (3 feet)
- The hypotenuse is the length of the ramp we need to find

Rearranging the equation to solve for the hypotenuse (ramp length), we get:

\[ \text{hypotenuse} = \frac{\text{opposite}}{\sin(\theta)} \]

Substituting the known values:

\[ \text{hypotenuse} = \frac{3\text{ ft}}{\sin(33^\circ)} \]

Using a calculator to find \(\sin(33^\circ)\):

\[ \sin(33^\circ) \approx 0.5446 \]

Thus:

\[ \text{hypotenuse} = \frac{3}{0.5446} \approx 5.5 \text{ ft} \]

**Correct Answer:**
- C) 5.5 ft

This demonstrates how trigonometric functions can be used to solve practical problems such as designing wheelchair ramps.
Transcribed Image Text:**Educational Website Content - Trigonometry Applied in Real-Life Situations: Calculating the Length of a Wheelchair Ramp** **Question:** How long should a wheelchair ramp be if the angle of incline is to be 33 degrees and the vertical end of the ramp is to be 3 feet high? Round to the nearest tenth. **Answer Choices:** - A) 3.6 ft - B) 1.6 ft - C) 5.5 ft - D) 4.6 ft **Explanation:** To determine the length of the wheelchair ramp, we need to apply trigonometric principles, specifically the sine function, which relates the angle of incline to the opposite side (the height) and the hypotenuse (the ramp length). The sine function is defined as: \[ \sin(\theta) = \frac{\text{opposite}}{\text{hypotenuse}} \] Where: - \(\theta\) is the angle of incline (33 degrees) - The opposite side is the vertical height of the ramp (3 feet) - The hypotenuse is the length of the ramp we need to find Rearranging the equation to solve for the hypotenuse (ramp length), we get: \[ \text{hypotenuse} = \frac{\text{opposite}}{\sin(\theta)} \] Substituting the known values: \[ \text{hypotenuse} = \frac{3\text{ ft}}{\sin(33^\circ)} \] Using a calculator to find \(\sin(33^\circ)\): \[ \sin(33^\circ) \approx 0.5446 \] Thus: \[ \text{hypotenuse} = \frac{3}{0.5446} \approx 5.5 \text{ ft} \] **Correct Answer:** - C) 5.5 ft This demonstrates how trigonometric functions can be used to solve practical problems such as designing wheelchair ramps.
Expert Solution
steps

Step by step

Solved in 3 steps with 3 images

Blurred answer
Recommended textbooks for you
Trigonometry (MindTap Course List)
Trigonometry (MindTap Course List)
Trigonometry
ISBN:
9781305652224
Author:
Charles P. McKeague, Mark D. Turner
Publisher:
Cengage Learning
Trigonometry (MindTap Course List)
Trigonometry (MindTap Course List)
Trigonometry
ISBN:
9781337278461
Author:
Ron Larson
Publisher:
Cengage Learning
Elementary Geometry For College Students, 7e
Elementary Geometry For College Students, 7e
Geometry
ISBN:
9781337614085
Author:
Alexander, Daniel C.; Koeberlein, Geralyn M.
Publisher:
Cengage,
Intermediate Algebra
Intermediate Algebra
Algebra
ISBN:
9780998625720
Author:
Lynn Marecek
Publisher:
OpenStax College
Elementary Algebra
Elementary Algebra
Algebra
ISBN:
9780998625713
Author:
Lynn Marecek, MaryAnne Anthony-Smith
Publisher:
OpenStax - Rice University
Holt Mcdougal Larson Pre-algebra: Student Edition…
Holt Mcdougal Larson Pre-algebra: Student Edition…
Algebra
ISBN:
9780547587776
Author:
HOLT MCDOUGAL
Publisher:
HOLT MCDOUGAL