A utility pole is supported by two wires, one on each side, going in the opposite direction. The two wires form a 75-degree angle at the utility pole. if the wires are 12 meters and 16 meters long and secured to the ground, find the distance between the wires on the ground.
+128408 The wires form the hypotenuses of two right triangles.....we need the distance in each case of the opposite side to the 75° angles
sin (75) = distance1 / 12
sin (75) = distance 2 / 16
So....We can find the distance thusly :
(12 + 16) sin (75) = distance1 + distance2
28sin(75) ≈ 27.05 ft
+36915 The two wires form a 75 degree angle at the pole
Law of Cosines c2 = a2 + b2 - 2 a b cos 75 c is the distance we are looking for in the Q a = 12 b = 16
= 12^2 +16^2 - 2 (12)(16) cos 75
c^2 = 300.61
c = 17.33 Meters betwen the wire anchors at the ground
