A rotating light is located 13 feet from a wall. The light completes one rotation every 3 seconds. Find the rate at which the light projected onto the wall is moving along the wall when the light's angle is 15 degrees from perpendicular to the wall.

29.2 ft/s

Explanation:

The distance of the light's projection on the wall

y = 13 tan θ

where θ is the light's angle from perpendicular to the wall.

The light completes one rotation every 3 seconds, that is, 2π in 3 seconds,

Angular speed = w = (2π/3)

w = (θ/t)

θ = wt = (2πt/3)

(dθ/dt) = (2π/3)

y = 13 tan θ

(dy/dt) = 13 sec² θ (dθ/dt)

(dy/dt) = 13 sec² θ (2π/3)

(dy/dt) = (26π/3) sec² θ

when θ = 15°

(dy/dt) = (26π/3) sec² (15°)

(dy/dt) = 29.2 ft/s