A wheelchair ramp must rise 18 inches over a horizontal run of 216 inches. To the nearest tenth of a degree, what is the angle of inclination of the ramp? (Use the inverse tangent: tan⁻¹.)
A4.8°
B4.9°
C85.2°
D0.083°
Explanation
tan(angle) = opposite / adjacent = 18 / 216 = 0.0833. angle = tan⁻¹(0.0833) ≈ 4.8°. Choice B uses sin⁻¹ of the same ratio (close but wrong because the hypotenuse isn't 216). C is the complement of the correct angle. D is the raw ratio rather than its inverse-tangent.
Ready to start practicing?
Free sample questions available. No credit card required.