Megan D.

asked • 05/30/16

length of a wire making angle of 58°

A wire is stretched from the top of a 112 foot tall building to the ground below, making an angle of 58° with the ground. How long is the wire?

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Carl M. answered • 05/30/16

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Assuming the  ground the the building meet at a right angle (90 degrees), use the sine of the angle 58° to find the length (L) of the wire.
 
 
sin 58° = 112 ft/ L this implies that L = 112 ft/ sin 58° = 132 ft The length of the wire.
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Michael J.

Your assumption about the ground and building forming a right angle would be correct because unless the building is not built straight, then the building and the ground form a 90 degree angle.  By logic, we all know that buildings are designed to be built straight.  The connection between the building and the ground using the wire then forms a right triangle.  Thus, we can use simple trigonometry.
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05/30/16

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