An engineer standing at a point $P$ wishes to determine the width of a new rectangular pond. She finds the distance to the western-most point $A$ of the pond from $P$ to be $60$ m, while the distance to the northern-most point $B$ of the pond from $P$ is $80$ m. If the angle between the two lines of sight at $P$ is $60^\circ$, then the width $AB$ in metres of the pond is, where $AB$ is not parallel to line of North-South:
Given,
$PA=60$
$PB=80$
$\angle APB=60^\circ$
Using cosine rule in triangle $APB$,
$AB^2=PA^2+PB^2-2(PA)(PB)\cos 60^\circ$
$AB^2=60^2+80^2-2(60)(80)\cdot \frac{1}{2}$
$AB^2=3600+6400-4800$
$AB^2=5200$
$AB=\sqrt{5200}$
$AB=\sqrt{400\cdot 13}$
$AB=20\sqrt{13}$
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