Question

An engineer on the ground is looking at the top of a building.The angle of elevation to the top of the building is 46 degrees. The engineer knows the building is 250 ft tall. What is the distance from the engineer to the base of the building to the nearest whole foot.

Answer 1

http://www.mathwords.com/s/s_assets/s126.gif

notice the trig identities
keep in mind that tan = opp/adj sides

Answer 2

250tan(46=258.88=259?

Answer 3

\(\bf tan(46^o) = \cfrac{opp}{adj} \implies \cfrac{250}{x}\\
x = \cfrac{250}{tan(46^o)}\)

Answer 4

thanks

Answer 5

yw