16Hit1600
Geometry and TrigonometryHardLength of a slide from its angle

Geometry and Trigonometry practice question

A playground slide makes a 60° angle with the ground, and its bottom end is 15 feet horizontally from the point below its top. How long is the slide, in feet?

Answer: 30

cos 60° = 15/L gives L = 15/0.5 = 30.

Common wrong answers

If you answered 26
26 uses 15 × tan 60°, the height.
If you answered 7.5
7.5 multiplies 15 by cos 60° instead of dividing.
If you answered 17.3
17.3 divides 15 by sin 60°, which would apply only if 15 were the vertical height.

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