A plane rises from​ take-off and flies at an angle of 9° with the horizontal runway. When it has gained 500 ​feet, find the​ distance, to the nearest​ foot, the plane has flown.

Question

A plane rises from​ take-off and flies at an angle of 9° with the horizontal runway. When it has gained 500 ​feet, find the​ distance, to the nearest​ foot, the plane has flown.

The plane has flown approximately ______ feet. ​(Round to the nearest​ foot.)

Answer 1

Red

This is a right triangle question.

If you draw a right triangle ABC. A is the starting point of the plane, C is the current position, and ABC is a right angle.

Then we know angle CAB is 9 degrees, CB is 100 ft, you need to find AC.

Which trig function connects the opposite and hypotenuse ? You can use that with the information given to find AC.

Mike