From a point on a bridge across a river, the angles of depression of the banks on opposite sides of the river are and , respectively. If the bridge is at a height of 3 m from the banks, find the width of the river.
Answer: The width of the river is meters.
Step-by-step solution
Step 1: Visualize the Problem and Define Variables
We first visualize the scenario. Let be the point on the bridge where the observation is made. Let be the point on the river bank directly below . Let and be points on the opposite banks. The problem states that the height of the bridge from the banks is , so . This forms two right-angled triangles, and .
Step 2: Identify Angles of Depression and Alternate Interior Angles
The angles of depression are given from point to the points and on the banks. Since the horizontal line through is parallel to the river banks, the angle of depression to point is equal to the alternate interior angle . Similarly, the angle of depression to point is equal to the alternate interior angle .
Step 3: Calculate Distance AD Using Trigonometry in
In the right-angled triangle , we know the opposite side and the angle . We want to find the adjacent side . The tangent function relates these quantities: . Substituting the known values, we get .
Step 4: Solve for AD
From the previous step, we have . We know that . Substituting this value, we find that .
Step 5: Calculate Distance BD Using Trigonometry in
Now, consider the right-angled triangle . We know the opposite side and the angle . We want to find the adjacent side . Using the tangent function again, we have .
Step 6: Solve for BD
From the equation , and knowing that , we can calculate . Thus, .
Step 7: Calculate the Width of the River
The width of the river is the sum of the distances and , since lies between and . Adding the values we calculated for and , we get the total width . This can be factored as .
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