Angle of triangle with curved base

bigpaully · 2005-07-20 22:22:32

I am trying to figure out the angle of a triangle with a curved base of 3000km it is part of a circle that has a circumference of 24902km and a radius of 6378km. There is a line that bisects the triangle. Its length is 830km. I need the angle of the triangle that is opposite the 3000km curved side. I wish I could add a picture it would make things easier. The triangle is outside the circle. Think of this problem as a satellite orbiting the earth.

MathsIsFun · 2005-07-20 23:28:50

[I removed the previous reply and banned the user]

It is just a *little* bit hard without a diagram!

MathsIsFun · 2005-07-20 23:40:05

I caught the fact that you solved it yourself. Well done. But you did have the advantage of a diagram

The measurements sure do sound like this planet.

bigpaully · 2005-07-21 00:27:05

here is a link to a diagram of the problem if anyone is still interested

Note: All I was given at the start of the problem was the swath coverage = 3000km (the curved area of the earth the satellite sees) and the altitude of the satellite = 830km.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v145/sealcock6/sat_swath_angle.jpg

if you have any questions please reply

Last edited by bigpaully (2005-07-21 00:30:56)

MathsIsFun · 2005-07-21 00:50:32

OK, well angle ARC is 360° × (3000/24902)

The angle ARE is half that.

The length RE is therefore cos(360° × (3000/24902) /2 ) × 6,378km

RE = cos(21.685°) × 6,378km = 5,927 km
AE = sin(21.685°) × 6,378km = 2,357 km

So distance ED = (6,378-5,927) + 830 = 1,281 km

We now know AE and ED, so the angle from that is:

tan-¹(2,357/1,281) = 61.5°, and you need to double that to 123° --> ANSWER = 123°

There may be an easier way to get there, I just went about soloving triangles till I got there.

bigpaully · 2005-07-21 01:22:59

right on. thats what i got well 122.88 degree. i needed to be a little more accurate.

MathsIsFun · 2005-07-21 01:28:07

Well, if we both got a similar answer it MUST be right.

Zach · 2005-07-21 02:06:18

Either that or you're both wrong.

Math Is Fun Forum

#1 2005-07-20 22:22:32

Angle of triangle with curved base

#2 2005-07-20 23:28:50

Re: Angle of triangle with curved base

#3 2005-07-20 23:40:05

Re: Angle of triangle with curved base

#4 2005-07-21 00:27:05

Re: Angle of triangle with curved base

#5 2005-07-21 00:50:32

Re: Angle of triangle with curved base

#6 2005-07-21 01:22:59

Re: Angle of triangle with curved base

#7 2005-07-21 01:28:07

Re: Angle of triangle with curved base

#8 2005-07-21 02:06:18

Re: Angle of triangle with curved base

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