Wrong answers to simple trigonometry questions
I am solving the following questions from here
I gave the following answers to the questions and are marked as wrong:
- A plane ascends at a 40° angle. When it reaches an altitude of one hundred feet, how much ground distance has it covered? To solve, use the trigonometric chart. Round the answer to the nearest tenth.
Options: $64.3$ft, $76.6$ft, $80.1$ft, $119.2$ft
My answer: $76.6$ft. Reasoning: It is $100\cdot\cos 40º$
- A 20 ft. beam leans against a wall. The beam reaches the wall 13.9 ft. above the ground. What is the measure of the angle formed by the beam and the ground?
Options: $44º, 35º, 55º, 46º$
My answer: $46º$. Reasoning: $\sin \theta = \frac{13.9}{20} = 0.695$ and $\cos 46º \approx 0.695$
They were marked as wrong. What am I messing up here?
Solution 1:
-
$\frac{100}{x} = \tan 40^\circ$
$x = \frac{100}{\tan 40^\circ} \approx 119.2 $ -
$\frac{13.9}{20} = \sin\theta$.
$\theta = \arcsin(\frac{13.9}{20}) \frac{180^\circ}{\pi} \approx 44^\circ$
Thank you.
Comments:
For 1), Refer to Schweber's comment!
In the question 2), you have to find an angle $\theta$ that makes $\sin\theta = 0.695$ but not $\cos\theta = 0.695$.