Question 992287: If a ship is going 2.6 degrees off course and is traveling 16 mph, how off course is it going to be after 5 hrs. Answer by Theo(13342) (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website! i believe you are dealing with an isosceles triangle.
5 * 16 = 80 miles.
the ship is going 80 miles in one direction when it should be going 80 miles in the other direction.
the difference between the two directions is 2.6 degrees.
that's an isosceles triangle with two legs of 80 miles each and a vertex of 2.6 degrees.
the distance between the two points is the base of the isosceles triangle.
drop a perpendicular and that divides the base into 2 equal parts.
2 right triangles are formed, each with an angle of 1.3 degrees opposite its base.
sin(1.3) = opposite / hypotenuse = x / 80
x is the opposite.
80 is the hypotenuse.
sin(1.3) = x/80
solve for x to get x = 80 * sin(1.3) which makes x equal to 1.814986686 miles.
that's half the distance between the two points.
the distance between the two points will be 3.629973372 miles.
that's how far away the ship will be from its intended destination.
