Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.
Bearings
Bearings are a way of describing direction using angles measured clockwise from the north. In this problem, the bearings S 27° E and N 63° E indicate specific angles relative to the cardinal directions, which are essential for visualizing the positions of the cities on a coordinate plane.
Trigonometric Functions
Trigonometric functions, such as sine, cosine, and tangent, relate the angles of a triangle to the lengths of its sides. These functions are crucial for calculating distances and angles in the context of the problem, especially when determining the coordinates of the cities based on their bearings.
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Distance Formula
The distance formula is used to calculate the straight-line distance between two points in a coordinate system. In this scenario, once the coordinates of Atlanta, Macon, and Augusta are established using the bearings and distances traveled, the distance formula will help find the direct distance from Atlanta to Augusta.
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