In the offset problem, what is the distance between the center lines if the offset is 10 inches at 30 degrees?

• A. 18 inches
• B. 22 inches
• C. 20 inches
• D. 24 inches

Answer: (C)

When you have an offset at a known angle, treat the offset as the side opposite the angle in a right triangle formed by the two center lines and the offset line. The distance between the center lines is the hypotenuse, found using sine: hypotenuse = offset / sin(angle). With an offset of 10 inches and an angle of 30°, sin 30° = 0.5, so the distance between center lines is 10 / 0.5 = 20 inches.