"Bearing" question - finding distance between two objects

tantrik

New member
Joined
Sep 18, 2016
Messages
14
Dear friends,


I am having problem solving the following question related to "bearing" in trigonometry.


A motorboat is 10 km South of a lighthouse and is on a course of 053 degrees. What is the shortest distance between the motorboat and the lighthouse?


My confusion is how does a boat travel 10 km South of a lighthouse and making an angle of 53 degrees clockwise from North. Is there something wrong with the question itself?


Thanks in advance.
 
Dear friends,


I am having problem solving the following question related to "bearing" in trigonometry.


A motorboat is 10 km South of a lighthouse and is on a course of 053 degrees. What is the shortest distance between the motorboat and the lighthouse?


My confusion is how does a boat travel 10 km South of a lighthouse and making an angle of 53 degrees clockwise from North. Is there something wrong with the question itself?


Thanks in advance.
No - there is nothing wrong with the question!

Assume the light house to be the origin and sketch a picture. The location of the boat (now) is on the y-axis - t'e co-ordinate being (0,-10).

And continue.....
 
Top