A 20-foot ramp is to be built from the top of a set of stairs to the ground level so that the top of the
stairs is accessible to disabled patients. The
ramp angle must be no more than 6°. What is the
length of the ramp along the ground? Round to
the nearest tenth.

The angle of elevation for the ramp is
θ
=
64.16
o
Explanation:
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We can use the sine of the triangle to solve for the angle.
sin
θ
=
18
20
θ
=
sin
−
1
(
18
20
)
θ
=
64.16
o

First change each value into improper fractions, which is 31/2 and 29/8. To divide fractions, keep the first one the same, change to multiplication, and flip the 29/8. So, the equation is now 31/2 * 8/29. Cross cancel the 2 & 8, making the equation 31/1 * 4/29. Multiply 31 by 4 to get the numerator, 124. Then divide 124 by 29 to get the final answer, ~4.27... So, she will need 5 buckets.