Purchase Solution

Word Problem Involving Tangent Function

Not what you're looking for?

Ask Custom Question

A patient is being treated with laser therapy to remove a tumour that is located behind a vital organ. The tumor is 5.7 cm below the skin. To avoid the organ, the entry point of the laser must be 12.4 cm above the tumour along the skin. What is the angle the doctor must use to hit the tumor directly? Round your anwer to the nearest tenth of a degree. [4 marks]

Purchase this Solution

Solution Summary

This problem includes a tumor inside a patient. To access the tumor, the surgeon must angle his incision. The problem explains how to use two known lengths of a right triangle as well as the tangent function to find the angle of incision.

Solution Preview

If you imagine the patient as lying on his side so his chest is on the right of this diagram, you can draw in the distances given. The short, horizontal line is the depth of the tumor, 5.7 cm. ...

Purchase this Solution


Free BrainMass Quizzes
Know Your Linear Equations

Each question is a choice-summary multiple choice question that will present you with a linear equation and then make 4 statements about that equation. You must determine which of the 4 statements are true (if any) in regards to the equation.

Multiplying Complex Numbers

This is a short quiz to check your understanding of multiplication of complex numbers in rectangular form.

Exponential Expressions

In this quiz, you will have a chance to practice basic terminology of exponential expressions and how to evaluate them.

Probability Quiz

Some questions on probability

Geometry - Real Life Application Problems

Understanding of how geometry applies to in real-world contexts