How far do you need to…

Physics Questions

How far do you need to ride before turning north to reach your friend’s house, given that your GPS indicates it is 10.0 km away and their street is 6.0 km north of yours? Also, what is the sine of the angle Œ∏ at the friend’s house?

Short Answer

To determine the distance before heading North to a friend’s house, you first establish that the total distance is 10 kilometers and the distance East is 6 kilometers. By applying the Pythagorean theorem, you find that the distance North is 8 kilometers, leading to a sine value of 0.8 for the angle at your friend’s house.

Step-by-Step Solution

Step 1: Understand the Distances

To determine how far you need to ride before heading North to reach your friend’s house, you first need to grasp the relevant distances. In this scenario:

  • The total distance from your house to your friend’s house, termed as c, is 10 kilometers.
  • The distance from your friend’s house to a point directly East of it, referred to as a, is 6 kilometers.
  • Your goal is to find the distance between this direct East point and where you turn North, recognized as b.

Step 2: Apply the Pythagorean Theorem

Next, you will use the Pythagorean theorem to solve for the unknown distance b. The theorem allows us to relate the sides of a right triangle:

  • The formula is c¬≤ = a¬≤ + b¬≤.
  • For this example, substituting the known values gives us 10¬≤ = 6¬≤ + b¬≤.
  • This simplifies to 100 = 36 + b¬≤, leading to b¬≤ = 64, which gives b = 8 kilometers.

Step 3: Calculate the Sine of the Angle

Lastly, to find the sine of the angle (Œ∏) at your friend’s house, you can utilize the sine formula, which relates the angle, opposite side, and hypotenuse:

  • The sine is calculated as sin Œ∏ = opposite/hypotenuse.
  • In this case, the opposite side is the distance b = 8 km and the hypotenuse is c = 10 km.
  • Thus, sin Œ∏ = 8/10 = 0.8 reveals the sine value at that point.

Related Concepts

Distances

The lengths between specific points, such as your house, your friend’s house, and a point east of it, which are necessary for calculating the path to take.

Pythagorean theorem

A fundamental principle in geometry that relates the lengths of the sides of a right triangle, expressed as c² = a² + b², where c is the hypotenuse, and a and b are the other two sides.

Sine

A trigonometric function that relates the angle of a right triangle to the ratio of the length of the opposite side to the hypotenuse, mathematically represented as sin ϸ = opposite/hypotenuse.

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