Question

A wheelchair ramp rises from the ground at a 4.5 degree angle of elevation. The end of the ramp is 3 ft. above the ground. How long is the ramp? Round your answer to the nearest tenth of a foot.

Answer 1

1)38.2 ft

2) 24

3) 10.9m

Answer 2

the longitude of the ramp is determined by the Hypotenuse, we have the angle(4.5Âş), and the opposite side (3ft), so with the Sin(x) trigonometric function ( sin(x)=opposite/hypotenuse ) we can calculate the answer.
Using the formula, hypotenuse=opposite/sin(x)
Hypotenuse=3ft/sin(4.5)
hypotenuse=3ft/0.0784591
hypotenuse=38.236482
the ramp must be 38.2 ft long. the calc must be in degrees to get an accurate answer to any trigonometric function