An airplane flies from city A to city B a distance of 150 miles and then turns through an angle of 40 degrees and heads towards city c.

Question

As well as through what angle should the pilot turn at city C to return to city A? If the distance between cities a and c is 300 miles how far is it from city B to city C? 

Answer 1

Using the Law of Sines:

 

sine 140 / 300 = sin C / 150

0.642 / 300 ≈ sin C / 150

0.00214 ≈ sin C / 150

0.321 ≈ sin C

18.72 ≈ C

 

The pilot should turn 18.72° to return to A.

 

To determine BC:

 

Calculate the size of ∠A.

BC / sin A = 300 / sin 140.