Question 271789
television tower is 440 meters high.


5 degrees 50 minutes is roughly equivalent to an angle of 5.83333333 degrees.


5.833333333/360 * 2 * pi * r = the arc length of this angle.


that would be equal to .101810872 * r


if we assume the arc length and the height of the tower are approximately equal, then .101810872 * r = 440


solving for r, we get r = 440/.101810872 = 4321.738822 meters.


that's about how far the television tower is from the observer.


since the arc length is going to be a little longer than the length of the chord formed by the flagpole, this means that the distance of 4321.738822 meters is going to be a little less than the actual distance.


for example, assume the arc length is 450 meters.


then the radius would be equal to 450/.101810872 = 4419.960159 which is slightly longer.


I couldn't find a way to get the arc length exactly without knowing the radius.


here's a definition of what subtending angle means.


<a href = "http://www.mathopenref.com/subtend.html" target = "_blank">http://www.mathopenref.com/subtend.html</a>