If a windshield wiper covers an area of approximately 160 square inches when it rotates at an angle of 102°, find the length of the wiper to the nearest tenth of an inch.

Question

The length of the wiper is approximately __?__ inches.

Answer 1

Wiper blades connect above the center of rotation and the paths of the two blades overlap.

But considering the path of one blade with the distance between the top and bottom of the blade,

[r+6]² = 160(360/102) = 564.7

r+6 = √564.7 = 23.0"

r = 17.0" long