SOLUTION: Scientists can estimate the depth of craters on the moon by studying the lengths of their shadows in the craters. Shadows' lengths can be estimated by measuring them on photographs

Algebra ->  Pythagorean-theorem -> SOLUTION: Scientists can estimate the depth of craters on the moon by studying the lengths of their shadows in the craters. Shadows' lengths can be estimated by measuring them on photographs      Log On


   



Question 1106640: Scientists can estimate the depth of craters on the moon by studying the lengths of their shadows in the craters. Shadows' lengths can be estimated by measuring them on photographs. Find the depth of a crater to the nearest meter if the shadow is estimated to be 400m long and the angle of the line of sight from the end of the shadow on the bottom of the crater to the top edge is 30 degrees.
Answer by ankor@dixie-net.com(22740) About Me  (Show Source):
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Scientists can estimate the depth of craters on the moon by studying the lengths of their shadows in the craters. Shadows' lengths can be estimated by measuring them on photographs.
Find the depth of a crater to the nearest meter if the shadow is estimated to be 400m long and the angle of the line of sight from the end of the shadow on the bottom of the crater to the top edge is 30 degrees.
:
Use the tangent of 30 degrees, the side opposite (d) is the depth of the crater
tan(30) = d%2F400
d = 400 * tan(30)
d = 231 meters