There must be a mathematical function

[mobobuff]

Okay, I was just pondering this the other night.

You take a high-powered laser, and aim it at a large white wall 22 miles away (35405.57 meters). Now rotate the lazer pointer .75% of a degree on its y axis. How far does the dot move on the wall? Say the beams starting position is perpendicular to the wall.

 

[blahblah99]

Originally posted by: mobobuff
Okay, I was just pondering this the other night.

You take a high-powered laser, and aim it at a large white wall 22 miles away (35405.57 meters). Now rotate the lazer pointer .75% of a degree on its y axis. How far does the dot move on the wall? Say the beams starting position is perpendicular to the wall.

This sounds like a typical high school word problem that's given on a homework. Look up trigonometry if you want to find the answer.

 

[mobobuff]

Well I was just curious. And I doubt going to Google and typing "Trigonometry" is going to give me the answer any time soon.

Anyone a little more supportive and a little less condescending?

*grabs some pen and paper*

 

[FrankSchwab]

Well, if my 7th grade trigonometry is still good after 30 years, and I correctly understand your poorly worded question (0.75% of a degree??? Is that 0.75 degrees, or 0.0075 degrees?) I'd guess somewhere right around:

0, if the y-axis is coincident with the beam.
0.3089895 metric miles, if the y-axis is perpendicular to the beam

/frank

 

[mobobuff]

1. Why the hell would I want the y axis to be coincident with the beam?
2. I meant 75% of 1 degree, sorry about the decimal.

What's with the undue hostility? I asked a simple question out of pure curiousity. If my cognitive abilities with mathematics isn't quite up to par with your own, why not handle it with a bit more maturity?

 

[TStep]

Unless I'm reading this wrong, why not just use simple trig.

SOH CAH TOA

Tan (degrees) = Opposite Side / Adjacent Side

Tan (.75) = Opposite Side / 22 miles (or 116160 feet)

Opposite Side = 0.287995776 mile or 1520.617696 feet

All assuming the laser is actually still a dot at 22 miles.

 

[mobobuff]

Thank you Tstep. My answer was just a little off.

I know it was painfully easy question for HT. I apologize.

 

[sao123]

HT can be very skeptical and even critical, especially since your question has the odifferous scent of a math homework problem. Asking for help on homework is specifically forbidden in HT. For future success when dealing in ht... ask for advise on how to approach the problem and possible methods for solving it, rather than asking someone here to provide you with the answer.

 

[Mday]

THIS FORUM IS NOT FOR HOMEWORK.

Unless its for some year long - semester long based project that really is highly technical.