Kite Distance Above the Ground

xyz_1965

Member
Kaila is flying a kite whose string is making a 70° angle with the ground. The kite string is 65 meters long. How far is the kite above the ground?

I am thinking the sine function.

sin (70°) = h/65, where h is the distance of the kite above the ground.

sin (70°)(65) = h

27.08617 = h

I will say the kite is 27 meters above the ground.

MarkFL

Staff member
Do you have your calculator in degree mode?

xyz_1965

Member
Do you have your calculator in degree mode?
Yes, my calculator is in degree mode. Should it be in radians mode?

MarkFL

Staff member
Try evaluating the expression again...

xyz_1965

Member
Try evaluating the expression again...
sin (70°)(65) = 50.3028943013 in radians mode.

I say the answer is 50 meters.

MarkFL

Staff member
I'm getting a different number.

xyz_1965

Member
I'm getting a different number.
What number are you getting? Show me your set up.

MarkFL

Staff member
What number are you getting? Show me your set up.
Your expression is correct, but your numeric evaluation of that expression differs from mine.

xyz_1965

Member
Your expression is correct, but your numeric evaluation of that expression differs from mine.
Show me what you did.

Staff member

MHB Math Helper

MarkFL

Staff member
That looks like what I got.

skeeter

Well-known member
MHB Math Helper
sin (70°)(65) = 50.3028943013 in radians mode.

I say the answer is 50 meters.
your argument for sine is 70 degrees ... you need to be in degree mode.

xyz_1965

Member
your argument for sine is 70 degrees ... you need to be in degree mode.
Understood.