SOLUTION: The approach pattern to an airport requires pilots to set an 11o angle of descent toward a runway. If a plane is flying at an altitude of 9,500 m, at what distance (measured along

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Question 43113: The approach pattern to an airport requires pilots to set an 11o angle of descent toward a runway. If a plane is flying at an altitude of 9,500 m, at what distance (measured along the ground) from the airport must the pilot decend
Found 2 solutions by fractalier, AnlytcPhil:
Answer by fractalier(6550) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
If you make a diagram, and construct a triangle, the 11° angle of descent equals the 11° in the triangle...we would use the tangent relationship...
Let the distance we want to be x.
Then tan 11° = 9500/x and
x = 9500/tan 11°
x = 48873 m or about 49000 meters (about 30 miles!)

Answer by AnlytcPhil(1806) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!

The approach pattern to an airport requires pilots
to set an 11o angle of descent toward a runway. If
a plane is flying at an altitude of 9,500 m, at what
distance (measured along the ground) from the airport
must the pilot decend 

                                 P
                                  ·
                      ·           | 9500 m 
A        ·     11°                |
·---------------------------------
              x                   B

The plane is at P, the Airport is at A,
B is a point on the ground directly under the plane.
We want to find AB, the length of which we call x

9500 is the opposite side to 11°
x is the adjacent side to 11°

  tan(11°) = opposite/adjacent

  tan(11°) = 9500/x

x·tan(11°) = 9500 

         x = 9500/tan(11°)

         x = 48873.26315 m or about 48900 meters.

Edwin
AnlytcPhil@aol.com