SOLUTION: A lighthouse keeper observes that there is a 3 degree angle of depression between the horizontal and the line of sight to a ship. If the keeper is 19 m above the water how far is t

Question 129496: A lighthouse keeper observes that there is a 3 degree angle of depression between the horizontal and the line of sight to a ship. If the keeper is 19 m above the water how far is the ship from shore?
this unit is called solving right triangles.
please help if you can. the angle of depression part is confusing me. can you explain?
Answer by scott8148(6628) (Show Source): You can put this solution on YOUR website!
the angle of depression means that the keeper looks 3 degrees down from the horizontal to see the ship
__ this means that someone on the ship looks 3 degrees up from the horizontal to see the keeper

the horizontal and the lighthouse form a right angle
__ the distance from the keeper to the ship is the hypotenuse
__ the lighthouse is the side opposite the 3� angle
__ the distance from the ship to the shore is the side adjacent to the 3� angle

let x="distance to shore"

19m/x=tan(3�) __ 19m/(tan(3�))=x
RELATED QUESTIONS
A ship is approaching a harbour between a pier and a lighthouse. The distance between the (answered by ankor@dixie-net.com)

A ship sees a lighthouse which is found to be 9.8 km distant through the use of radar.... (answered by math_tutor2020)

a lighthouse keeper is in the top of a lighthouse 95 feet above sea level. she notes that (answered by mananth)

The CN Tower in Toronto, Canada, is the tallest free-standing structure in North America. (answered by CPhill)

You are standing at the top of a lighthouse that is 85 feet above sea level. Looking out... (answered by Cromlix)

Find x, the angle of depression from the top of a lighthouse that is 152ft above water... (answered by stanbon)

Find x the angle of depression from the top of a lighthouse that is 184 ft above water... (answered by ankor@dixie-net.com)

Can someone help me with this problem please? Thank you. Driving down a straight... (answered by josgarithmetic,MathTherapy)

A person standing on the rooftop of a building 21m tall,looks down at a car parked 10m... (answered by Alan3354,ikleyn)