5. A water balloon is being launched into the air at a 73∘ angle of elevation from the ground. The water balloon reaches a height of 30 feet directly above your head. How far from you was the water balloon launched?
Q. 5. A water balloon is being launched into the air at a 73∘ angle of elevation from the ground. The water balloon reaches a height of 30 feet directly above your head. How far from you was the water balloon launched?
Identify Triangle: Identify the triangle formed by the water balloon's path. The height of 30 feet is the opposite side of the right triangle, and the angle of elevation is 73 degrees.
Use Tangent Function: Use the tangent function, which relates the opposite side to the adjacent side in a right triangle. Tangent of an angle equals the opposite side divided by the adjacent side.
Set Up Equation: Set up the equation using the tangent of 73 degrees equals 30 feet divided by the distance from you (let's call this distance x).tan(73)=x30
Solve for x: Solve for x by multiplying both sides by x and then dividing both sides by tan(73). x⋅tan(73)=30 x=tan(73)30
Calculate Value: Calculate the value of tan(73) using a calculator and then divide 30 by this value.x=tan(73)30x≈3.270930x≈9.17 feet