4. The angle of elevation of the top B of a tower AB from a point X on the ground is 60°. at a point Y 40m vertically above X, the angle of elevation of the top is 45°. find the height of the tower AB and the distance XB.
Let D be the horizontal distance from X to the tower base
Let H be the tower height
And we have :
tan 60 = H/D → D = H / tan 60
And we know that....the vertical difference between the tower's height and Y = (H - 40)...so...
tan 45 = (H - 40) / D sub for D
tan 45 = (H - 40) / [H/tan 60 ]
tan 45 = tan 60 *(H - 40) / H
H *tan 45 = tan 60 (H - 40)
H * tan 45 = H* tan 60 = 40 tan 60
H = H * sqrt(3) - 40sqrt(3)
40sqrt3 = H [ sqrt(3) - 1]
[40sqrt(3)] /[ sqrt(3) -1] = H ≈ 94.64 m
And XB ≈ H csc 60 ≈ 94.64 csc 60 ≈ 109.28 m
Here's a pic....