Question

Three boats are at sea Jenny one(j1) Jenny two(j2) and Jenny three (j3). The crew of j1 can see both j2 and j3 (they create a triangle). The angle created at j1 is 45°. If the distance between j1 and j2 is 2.7 miles and the distance between j2 and j3 is 4.2 miles, what is the distance between j1 and j3 to the nearest tenth of a mile?

Answer 1

Explanation:

You know an angle, the side opposite the angle, and the side between them.

Use the Law of Sines.

j3 = arcsin(2.7sin(j1)/4.2) ≅ 27.0°

j2 = 180°-j1-j3 ≅ 108.0°

x = distance from j1 to j2

= 4.2sin(j2)/sin(j1)

≅ 5.7 miles