Question

A ramp leading into a building makes a 15° angle with the ground. The end of the ramp is 10 feet from the base of the building (along the ground).

Approximately how long is the ramp? Round to the nearest tenth.

10.3 feet
10.4 feet
13.2 feet
38.6 feet

Answer 1

Let the ramp length be the hypotenuse h. With the ramp making a 15° angle with the ground and the horizontal distance (adjacent) = 10 ft,

h = 10 / cos(15°) ≈ 10 / 0.9659258 ≈ 10.4 ft.

Answer: 10.4 feet.