A surveyor sights the top of a building with a handheld range finder. The top of the building is 148 feet 2 inches away. The angle of elevation is 56º. Find the distance from the surveyor to the building in feet and inches. (Sketch and label the situation first.)
Don’t I need to know at least one more angle or side to solve this?

Question

A surveyor sights the top of a building with a handheld range finder. The top of the building is 148 feet 2 inches away. The angle of elevation is 56º. Find the distance from the surveyor to the building in feet and inches. (Sketch and label the situation first.) 
Don’t I need to know at least one more angle or side to solve this?

anonymous · Answer

You should be able to do this with trigonometry if you just assume that the surveyor surveyed the building was standing at the same level as the base and the building isn't the leaning tower of pisa (ie the building is at 90 degrees to the floor)

anonymous · Answer

so then i have two angle measures, 56 and 90?

anonymous · Answer

yes i suppose but if you know the right angled triangle rules, we used to call them SOHCAHTOA at school do you know them?

anonymous · Answer

ya i know that. so how would i use SOHCAHTOA to find the distance?

anonymous · Answer

would i add 56 and 90 and then subtract that from 180 to get the last angle?

anonymous · Answer

then i would use the law of sines right?

anonymous · Answer

Refer to the attachment.