The highest peak of Mount Mitchell is 6,684 feet. If the radius of the Earth is 4000 miles, find the distance from this peak to a point on the horizon. Draw a diagram and round to the nearest mile. (1 mile = 5280 ft.)
+128475 4000 miles x 5280 = 21120000 ft
We have a right triangle with one leg = 21120000 ft and a hypotenuse of 21120000 + 6684 = 21126684 ft
And the other leg is the distance from the montain top to the horizon =
sqrt [ 21126684^2 - 21120000^2 ) = 531391.4 ft = [531391 / 5280 ] ≈ 101 miles
