A zipline starts 25 feet off the ground and has an angle of elevation of 27°. What is the horizontal distance the zipline will cover, x? (1 point)

• x = 135.10 ft.
• x = 29.38 ft.
• x = 12.74 ft.
• x = 49.07 ft.

1 answer

To find the horizontal distance \( x \) that the zipline covers, we can use the relationship defined by the angle of elevation, the height of the starting point, and the horizontal distance.

Given:

  • Height \( h = 25 \) feet
  • Angle of elevation \( \theta = 27^\circ \)

Using the tangent function, which relates the opposite side (height) to the adjacent side (horizontal distance), we have:

\[ \tan(\theta) = \frac{\text{opposite}}{\text{adjacent}} = \frac{h}{x} \]

Rearranging the equation to solve for \( x \):

\[ x = \frac{h}{\tan(\theta)} \]

Substituting the known values:

\[ x = \frac{25}{\tan(27^\circ)} \]

Now we calculate \( \tan(27^\circ) \) using a calculator:

\[ \tan(27^\circ) \approx 0.5095 \]

Now substitute this value into the equation:

\[ x = \frac{25}{0.5095} \approx 49.07 \text{ feet} \]

Based on this calculation, the horizontal distance the zipline will cover is:

\[ \boxed{49.07 \text{ ft.}} \]