Geometry and TrigonometryMediumCosine of a ramp's angle
Geometry and Trigonometry practice question
A straight ramp is 13 feet long, and its top is 5 feet higher than its bottom. What is the cosine of the angle the ramp makes with the level ground?
- A. 12/13Correct
- B. 5/13
- C. 5/12
- D. 12/5
Answer: A. 12/13
The ramp is the hypotenuse (13) and the rise is the opposite side (5). The horizontal run is √(169 − 25) = 12. Cosine = adjacent/hypotenuse = 12/13.
Why the other answers are wrong
- B. 5/13
- 5/13 is the SINE of the angle (opposite over hypotenuse).
- C. 5/12
- 5/12 is the tangent (opposite over adjacent).
- D. 12/5
- 12/5 is adjacent over opposite, the reciprocal of the tangent.
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