SOLUTION: From a point A on the ground, the angle of elevation to the top of a tall building is 24.1 degrees. From a point B, which is 600 ft closer to the building, the angle of elevation i

Algebra ->  Trigonometry-basics -> SOLUTION: From a point A on the ground, the angle of elevation to the top of a tall building is 24.1 degrees. From a point B, which is 600 ft closer to the building, the angle of elevation i      Log On


   



Question 78320This question is from textbook Algebra and Trigonometry
: From a point A on the ground, the angle of elevation to the top of a tall building is 24.1 degrees. From a point B, which is 600 ft closer to the building, the angle of elevation is measured to be 30.2 degrees. Find the height of the building. This question is from textbook Algebra and Trigonometry

Answer by Edwin McCravy(20055) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
 
From a point A on the ground, the angle of 
elevation to the top of a tall building is 
24.1 degrees. From a point B, which is 600 
ft closer to the building, the angle of 
elevation is measured to be 30.2 degrees. 
Find the height of the building.
                        
                       *|C
                 * *    |
           *            |h
    *      *            | 
A_____B_________________|D
  600         x

I can't draw slanted lines on here, but you can
on your paper.  I've tried to indicate AC and BC
with asterisks " * " above.

Let C be the top of the building and D the bottom of
the building.

There are two right triangles, CAD and CBD.
Let h = CD and x = BD. We are given that AB = 600.

So from right triangle CAD we have:

                 h
tan(24.1°) = ----------
              600 + x


and from right triangle CBD we have:

              h
tan(30.2°) = ---
              x

To make the algebra easier to write, 
let's let:
 
T = tan(24.1°) and U = tan(30.2°)
Then those two equations are

               h
       T = --------- 
            600 + x

and

            h
       U = --- which means h = Ux
            x

Clearing of fractions in those equations
gives these two equations:

       h = T(600 + x)
       h = Ux

Since both right sides equal h, we set them
equal to each other

      Ux = T(600 + x)

Now we solve for x:

      Ux = 600T + Tx

 Ux - Tx = 600T

x(U - T) = 600T

Divide both sides by (U - T)

             600T
       x = ---------
            U  -  T 

Now we now go back and substitute
for U and T

T = tan(24.1°) and U = tan(30.2°)

and we have:

                  600·tan(24.1°)
       x = ---------------------------
            tan(30.2°)  -  tan(24.1°)


Punch that out on your calculator and you get

       x = 1992.638095

Then we can find h from

       h = Ux
       h = tan(30.2°)(1992.638095)
       h = 1159.743065

I'd round that off to 1160 feet.

Edwin