Two pilots take off from the same airport. Mason heads due south. Nancy heads 23 west of south. After 400 land miles, how far is Nancy from Mason’s route?

I think 156.29, but I'm not sure because the question comes in a lesson on sum and difference identities, and none of the identities was used in solving the problem.

1 answer

all you need here is the perpendicular distance from Nancy's plane to a N-S line. If that distance is x, then

x/400 = sin 23°
x = 156.29

you are correct. Nasty how they sneak in unrelated problems, eh?