Math Problem Statement
A person is standing 300m away from a building with a flagpole on top. The angle from the person to the top of the building is 30°. The angle from the person to the top of the flagpole is 32°. Retrieve the height of the flagpole.
Solution
To retrieve the height of the flagpole, we can break the problem into two parts:
- Height of the building using the angle of elevation to the top of the building.
- Height of the flagpole using the angle of elevation to the top of the flagpole, and then subtracting the height of the building.
Here’s the step-by-step approach:
- **Known dataTo retrieve the height of the flagpole, we can break the problem into two parts:
- Height of the building using the angle of elevation to the top of the building.
- Height of the flagpole using the angle of elevation to the top of the flagpole, and then subtracting the height of the building.
Here’s the step-by-step approach:
- **Known **
- Distance from the person to the base of the building:
- Angle of elevation to the top of the building:
- Angle of elevation to the top of the flagpole:
Step 1: Find the height of the building
We can use the tangent of the angle to find the height of the building:
Substituting the values:
Step 2: Find the total height (building + flagpole)
Now, use the angle of elevation to the top of the flagpole to find the total height of the building and flagpole together:
Substituting the values:
Step 3: Find the height of the flagpole
The height of the flagpole is the difference between the total height and the height of the building:
Conclusion:
The height of the flagpole is approximately 14.25 meters.
Would you like more details or have any questions?
Follow-up questions:
- What if the distance to the building changed? How would it affect the height calculations?
- What is the effect of increasing the angle of elevation on the calculated height?
- How would you calculate the flagpole height if the angle to the top of the building were unknown?
- Can you use a different trigonometric function to find the same results? Why or why not?
- How would a real-world measurement take into account inaccuracies or other factors like ground tilt?
Tip:
When working with trigonometric functions, ensure your calculator is set to the correct mode (degrees or radians) based on the given angle information.
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Math Problem Analysis
Mathematical Concepts
Trigonometry
Angles of Elevation
Tangent Function
Formulas
Height of building = Distance * tan(angle to building)
Total height = Distance * tan(angle to flagpole)
Height of flagpole = Total height - Height of building
Theorems
Tangent Function Theorem
Suitable Grade Level
Grades 9-12
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