Andrea Chang November 2016

Principles of Mathematics Mr. Adams

MPM2D-A

Measuring Inaccessible Distances

Research Question:
How can an inaccessible distance like the height of a cloud be determined based on
angle measurements found using an inclinometer?

Background Information:
A clouds height can be determined based off ofFigure
angle1:measurements
Labelled diagram found
of potential data collected
using an inclinometer. When trying to determine an inaccessible distance
like this, one should draw a logical diagram and**diagram
determine notwhich values can
to scale
possibly be determined, and then how these values can be manipulated
to find the inaccessible distance.

In Figure 1, it has been determined that the angles

ADC and BDC, as well as the length AB will be
the data collected. ADC is the angle measured
when standing at point A, and looking
through an inclinometer at point D. BDC
is the angle measured when standing at point B, and
looking through an inclinometer at point D, from point B. The length AB is the
distance from points A and B.

After this initial data is found, one is able to find the measurements of the rest of
the angles in Figure 1. It is known that C is a 90 angle. This is because the base
of the triangle, AC , represents the ground, which is assumed to be flat, or a

straight angle at 180, and point C represents the point on the ground, directly
below the cloud. This also forms a perpendicular line, DC , which represents the

height of the cloud, or the inaccessible distance. BC represents the unknown

distance between point B and point C. Point D represents the point on the cloud,
from which you are measuring the height from the ground. AD represents the
hypotenuse formed from points A and D. All other angles within this diagram can be
found using the knowledge that all interior angles in a triangle make up 180, and
complementary angles also add up to 180.

In order to find the height of the cloud, using this data, there are two possible
methods: one can either use the law of sines, or a SohCahToa method.
Andrea Chang November 2016
Principles of Mathematics Mr. Adams
MPM2D-A
The more challenging method is the law of sines. The law of sines shows that the
relationship between side lengths and angle sizes in a triangle can be described by
a b d
= =
sinA sinB sinD . To apply this equation, in this method, the first step is to find

b d
hypotenuse, AD . This can be found using the part of the formula = 1 ,
sinB sinD

in which the unknown variable would be b. After solving for b, one would be able to
solve for the height of the cloud, represented as DC . This would be able to be

solved using knowledge that ABD and ACD share the same hypotenuse, and
a2 c
using the formula = 1 . In this equation, one would be solving for a 2. This
sinA sinC

value is the final height of the cloud.

In the other method, the Tangent law in trigonometry can be used. This law is
opposite
tan=
adjacent . In this method, one would be able to solve for the height using

simultaneous equations. These simultaneous equations would each be created

using the two angles that were found. One is only able to use this relationship to
solve for the height, because in this situation, a right-angled triangle is being used.

Variables:
Table 1: Variables

Variable Detail How it will be

Measured/ Controlled
Controlled Wind The data will be collected
on a day when there is
close to no wind, so that
the clouds are moving
minimally. This makes
certain that the point on
the cloud that is being
measured stays in the
same place.
Controlled Time data is collected The data will all be
collected at the same
time. This will ensure that
the point being measured
stays in the same place
Andrea Chang November 2016
Principles of Mathematics Mr. Adams
MPM2D-A
over the duration of
measuring.
Controlled Cloud The same point, on the
same cloud, will be
measured. This will ensure
that the type of cloud, and
its height stays constant
throughout data
collection.

Procedure:
1. Gather materials and assemble an inclinometer
2. Go outside on a day where there are clear clouds and no wind
3. Decide on Point A, and mark that point with a pylon
4. From Point A, pick a point on a cloud. Measure the angle ADC. This angle
can be measured by looking through the inclinometer at point D, and
recording the angle that is formed by the string.
5. Walk in a straight line to a second point. This second point is point B. Mark
this point with another pylon.
6. From Point B, find point D (that was decided upon in step 4). Measure the
angle BDC. This angle can be measured by looking through the inclinometer
at point D, and recording the angle that is formed by the string.
7. Measure the distance between points A and B, and record it.

Materials:
1 Inclinometer (made of a protractor, a straw, string, duct tape, and an
alligator clip)
1 Tape measure
2 Pylons (or other object that can be used to mark ones place)

Data Collected:
Figure 2: Labelled diagram
of data collected

**diagram not to scale

Andrea Chang November 2016
Principles of Mathematics Mr. Adams
MPM2D-A

ADC = 55

BDC = 50

AB=30 m

Qualitative Data:

There was no wind this day

The cloud (whos height was measured) was opaque and fluffy (similar to a
cotton ball), with a flat bottom

Calculations: Figure 2: Labelled diagram

of data collected after all
Solving for DBC: angles were deduced

of interior anglesatriangle=180 **diagram not to scale

50 + 90 + x =180
5

x=40

Solving for ABD:

In complementary angles:

Angle 1+ Angle 2=180

40 + x=180

x=140

Solving for ADB:

ADC BDC= AD B
Andrea Chang November 2016
Principles of Mathematics Mr. Adams
MPM2D-A
55 50 =5

AD B=5

Solving for DAB:

of interior angles atriangle=180

5 +140 + x=180

x=35

Law of Sines (to find the height of the cloud):

Part A: finding AD

a b c
= =
sinA sinB sin C Figure 3: Labelled diagram
of data collected after
hypotenuse and height
b 30 were calculated
=
sin140 sin 5
**diagram not to scale

30 sin140
b=
sin 5

b=221.25 m

Part B: finding DC

a 221.25
=
sin35 sin 90

sin 35 221.25
a=
sin 90

a=126.91m

Error Percentage:
Andrea Chang November 2016
Principles of Mathematics Mr. Adams
MPM2D-A
Literature ValueExperimental Value
Error= 100
Literature Value

1981126.1
Error= 100
1981

Error=93.63

Conclusion:
The data collected allowed the height of a cloud to be measured. To answer
the initial research question, How can an inaccessible distance like the height of a
cloud be determined based on angle measurements found using an inclinometer?,
one is able to find an inaccessible distance using the law of sines, seen in the
calculations and methods above.

The actual height of the cloud that I found was 126.91 m. Based on
qualitative data found, it can be assumed that the cloud measured was a cumulus
cloud. Cumulus clouds are usually around 6,500 feet, or around 1981m (Nenes
Research Group, 2016). This means that my experimental error was 93.63%, which
is extremely high.

In one manner, my data can be trusted and is accurate, as the mathematic

solution was done completely correctly. This is known because two methods of
finding the height were used, SohCahToa, and the Law of Sines and the same result
was found using both methods.

However, as seen from the experimental error, it is clear that the data
collected was significantly unreliable. The math used to calculate the height of the
cloud was completely accurate. Thus, the error must lay in the actual collection of
data.

There was a lot of room for error in the method for collecting data. Firstly, the
distance between points A and points B is only 30 m, which is insignificant in
comparison to the literature value of 1981 m. Because this recorded distance is so
relatively small, it means that any error affects the calculation much more then it
would if the recorded distance were to be bigger. The error found would be the
same in any distance, but it would be proportionately much smaller and less
insignificant if the distance were bigger. In order to improve upon this, one could
simply increase the distance between points A and B during data collection.

Another potential error could be the point in the cloud, from which the clouds
height was being measured. Because clouds are usually a very consistent colour, I
could have potentially measured from a different point on the cloud from point A to
Andrea Chang November 2016
Principles of Mathematics Mr. Adams
MPM2D-A
point B. In order to improve upon this, instead of measuring the height of a cloud,
one could measure something with an inaccessible distance, but with distinguished
markings, like a high rise building.

Lastly, using an inclinometer to measure the angles was very inaccurate. The
size of the protractor in comparison to the length of the rays of the angles that were
being measured is miniscule. This allowed much more room for error. In addition
because the protractor used was so small, it
wasnt very exact because simply shaking your Figure 4: Labelled diagram of data if
results were collected accurately
hand when using the inclinometer, or holding the
inclinometer at a slightly different angle could **diagram not to scale
change your reading by several degrees. In Legend:
order to improve upon this, one could use a
larger protractor. Yellow: data (hypothetically)
collected
I simulated the same mathematical Green: data deduced from data
collected
method that I used to solve for the height of
the cloud initially, but used more accurate data that
might have been used if the method was improved.
In order to fabricate this data, I used the
information discovered earlier to determine the
length of AC . After I had this

information, I was able to plug in

information to the Law of Sines formula, and
algebraically solve for ADC and BDC. Using this method, I found that ADC
would equal 1.8, and BDC would equal to 0.9. If this were the case, the height of
the cloud would equal 1908.76 m. This height only has a 3.64% experimental error,
which is extremely low and shows that the data collected is extremely reliable. In
figure 4, my fabricated data is seen.

This fabricated data makes much more sense than the real data. The smaller
the initial angles found, the closer to 90 the angles near the base of the triangle
would be. If the 30m stayed constant, this would mean that the person conducting
the experiment would simply be looking at the cloud at a much higher angle, or
they would be looking at something that seemed to be more above them. This
would mean that the hypotenuse size and height of clouds would increase a lot.

In conclusion, the data found was extremely inaccurate, solely because the
method of collecting data allowed a lot of room for error. The mathematical
solutions used to find the height of the cloud was done accurately and correctly. In
addition to finding the same height while using two different methods, the
mathematical solutions were proven to be done correctly, as they were the same
ones used with fabricated data, and they produced an accurate result.
Andrea Chang November 2016
Principles of Mathematics Mr. Adams
MPM2D-A
Sources:
Nenes Research Group. (2016). Clouds. Retrieved November 25, 2016, from
http://nenes.eas.gatech.edu/Cloud/Clouds.pdf