SOLUTION: Helen can see 264.24 km to the horizon from an airplane window. How high is the airplane? Use the formula V=3.5(Square root of h)

Algebra ->  Radicals -> SOLUTION: Helen can see 264.24 km to the horizon from an airplane window. How high is the airplane? Use the formula V=3.5(Square root of h)      Log On


   

Question 357879: Helen can see 264.24 km to the horizon from an airplane window. How high is the airplane? Use the formula V=3.5(Square root of h)
Answer by jsmallt9(3758) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
V=3.5%2Asqrt%28h%29
To find the Helen's height we will replace V with 264.24 and solve for h:
%28264.24%29=3.5%2Asqrt%28h%29
Divide both sides by 3.5:
264.24%2F3.5+=+sqrt%28h%29
75.4971428571428571+=+sqrt%28h%29
Now that the square root is isolated, square both sides:
%2875.4971428571428571%29%5E2+=+%28sqrt%28h%29%29%5E2
5699.8185795918367350+=+h
(I'll leave the check up to you.)

So Helen's height is approximately 5700 km. This is unrealistically large. Airplanes cannot fly at this altitude. 5700km is higher than the space shuttle flies.

Does the formula you've given require certain kinds of units for V and/or h? For example, is V supposed to be in miles? If yes, then convert 264.24 km to miles and then use this number instead of 264.24 for V. And what are the units for h? I am not familiar with this formula so I do not know the answers to these questions. All I know is that one of the following is true:
  • The units are correct and the problem has an unrealistic answer.
  • The formula depends on certain units of measurement which are not km's for V and km's for h.