A heavy piece of machinery is raised by sliding its 12.5 m along a plank oriented at 20 degrees to the horizontal.

How high above its original position is it raised?

How far is it moved horizontally?

Can you please give me the formulas for these? Thank you very much!

3 answers

tan 20(degrees)=Opposite/Adjacent
=O/12.5
12.5tan20(degrees)=O

O=horizontal
The distance of 12.5 m is measureed along the plank, so 12.5 m is the hypotenuse. So
rise=12.5*sin(20°)
To vanessa, why would it be tan, when the 12.5 is the hypotenuse because the way you formulated is saying that 12.5 is x.