Quote:
Originally Posted by Pineedles
I'm no math major but I seem to remember a formula to find the length of the last side of a triangle if you know the 2 lengths of the triangle and the angle of the 2 known sides. If I am right, then the LIDAR could conceptually figure out the distance between the 2 boats that are being shot by the gun. Anyone know?
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Well that is not cool, I just did out a nice formula calculation to show the angle between the two boats with the distance between them and the mp, but when I pressed post "POOF" gone.
So anyway here it is again, slightly shortened out of frustration.
boat a 150 feet
boat b 250 feet
150/250=0.6
sin-1 (0.6)= 36.87 This is the angle between the two boats from the MP's point of view.
tan(36.87)=0.75
0.75 x 150 = 112.5 feet apart
This only works if the MP can prove a right triangle existed, not likely. By the time the MP referenced the trig chart or punched everything into the calculator the two boats in question would be far enough away that a chase may not be practical. They better show their work in court if they want credit.
There are other formulas for determining the open legs of isosceles, acute and obtuse triangles but we will keep todays lesson simple.