Solve the right triangle shown in the figure. Round lengths to one decimal place and express angles to the nearest
tenth of a degree.
-From a boat on the river below a dam, the angle of elevation to the top of the dam is 27°8'. If the dam is 1982 feet above the level of the river, how far is the boat from the base of the dam (to the nearest foot)?
A) 3868 feet
B) 3858 feet
C) 3848 feet
D) 3838 feet

Question

Solve the right triangle shown in the figure. Round lengths to one decimal place and express angles to the nearest
tenth of a degree. 
-From a boat on the river below a dam, the angle of elevation to the top of the dam is 27°8'. If the dam is 1982 feet above the level of the river, how far is the boat from the base of the dam (to the nearest foot)?
A) 3868 feet 
B) 3858 feet 
C) 3848 feet 
D) 3838 feet

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The angle of elevation is 27°8', which is 27.1333° in decimal form. The tangent of this angle is 0.5144, which is the ratio of the height of the dam to the distance from the boat to the base of the dam. Therefore, the distance from the boat to the base of the dam is 1982 / 0.5144 = 3858 feet.

Solve the Right Triangle Shown in the Figure