Q19 of 35 Page 219

A bridge across a valley is h metres long. There is a temple in the valley directly below the bridge. The angles of depression of the top of the temple from the two ends of the bridge have measures α and β. Prove that the height of the bridge above the top of the temple is

Let AD be the bridge and E be the top of the temple.



The perpendicular from E on AD is EF.


Thus, EF represents the height from the top of the temple to the bridge.


Let EF = x and DF = y


AF = h – y


In ∆ABE,




………(1)


In ∆DCE,



………..(2)


From (1) and (2),



h tan α tan ß – x tan ß = x tan α


h tan α tan ß = x(tan α + tan ß)



The height of the bridge above the top of the temple is .


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