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a tree 100 feet tall casts shadow 120 feet long. Find the angle of elevation of the sun

 Oct 17, 2017

Best Answer 

 #1
avatar+9460 
+1

 

Angle  a  is the angle of elevation to the sun.

 

tan a  =  opposite side / adjacent side

                                                               Plug in the values for the opposite and adjacent side

tan a  =  100 ft / 120 ft

 

tan a  =  5 / 6

                                                               Take the inverse tangent of both sides.

a  =  arctan( 5 / 6 )                                  Put this into a calculator to get...

 

a  ≈  39.806 degrees

 Oct 17, 2017
 #1
avatar+9460 
+1
Best Answer

 

Angle  a  is the angle of elevation to the sun.

 

tan a  =  opposite side / adjacent side

                                                               Plug in the values for the opposite and adjacent side

tan a  =  100 ft / 120 ft

 

tan a  =  5 / 6

                                                               Take the inverse tangent of both sides.

a  =  arctan( 5 / 6 )                                  Put this into a calculator to get...

 

a  ≈  39.806 degrees

hectictar Oct 17, 2017

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