document.write( "Question 585918: A cliff is 80 feet above the sea. From the cliff the angle of
\n" ); document.write( "depression to a boat is 35°. How far is the boat from the base
\n" ); document.write( "of the cliff? Round your answer to one decimal place.\r
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "I don't get this either. Teachers and tutors have tried to help me but they don't explain it in a way that I can comprehend it. \n" ); document.write( "

Algebra.Com's Answer #373552 by Edwin McCravy(20055) $\"\"$ $\"About$

You can put this solution on YOUR website!

\r\n" );
document.write( "\r\n" );
document.write( "\r\n" );
document.write( "The object BELOW is the boat and the object ABOVE is the top of the\r\n" );
document.write( "cliff.\r\n" );
document.write( "\r\n" );
document.write( "The angle of DEPRESSION is the horizontal from an object ABOVE looking\r\n" );
document.write( "DOWNward to an object BELOW.\r\n" );
document.write( "\r\n" );
document.write( "The angle of ELEVATION is the horizontal from an object BELOW looking \r\n" );
document.write( "UPward to an object ABOVE.\r\n" );
document.write( "\r\n" );
document.write( "They are always the same angle because they are alternate interior angles\r\n" );
document.write( "formed when a tranversal (the line of sight) cuts two parallel (horizontal) lines.\r\n" );
document.write( "\r\n" );
document.write( "So they are both 35°.\r\n" );
document.write( "\r\n" );
document.write( "In the right triangle, the side opposite 35° is 80 and the side adjacent\r\n" );
document.write( "35° is x which is what we are to find, so the trig ration that involves\r\n" );
document.write( "what we are given *the opposite) and what we are to find *the adjacent\r\n" );
document.write( "is tangent which is  \r\n" );
document.write( "\r\n" );
document.write( "tan(35°) = \r\n" );
document.write( "\r\n" );
document.write( "Multiply both sides by x\r\n" );
document.write( "\r\n" );
document.write( "x·tan(35°) = 80\r\n" );
document.write( "\r\n" );
document.write( "Divide both sides by tan(35°)\r\n" );
document.write( "\r\n" );
document.write( "x =  = 114.24 feet\r\n" );
document.write( "\r\n" );
document.write( "Edwin

\r
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( "

\n" );