Math Problem Statement

Robbie is standing 47 feet from the foot of a tree. The angle elevation of the top of the tree is 35° find the height of the tree.

Solution

To find the height of the tree, we can use basic trigonometry. Specifically, we'll use the tangent function, which relates the angle of elevation to the opposite side (height of the tree) and the adjacent side (distance from the tree).

The formula is: tan(θ)=oppositeadjacent\tan(\theta) = \frac{\text{opposite}}{\text{adjacent}}

Here:

  • θ=35\theta = 35^\circ (the angle of elevation),
  • The adjacent side = 47 feet (distance from the foot of the tree),
  • The opposite side is the height of the tree (which we need to find).

We can rearrange the formula to solve for the height of the tree: height=tan(θ)×adjacent\text{height} = \tan(\theta) \times \text{adjacent}

Now, let's calculate the height.

height=tan(35)×47\text{height} = \tan(35^\circ) \times 47

Let me calculate that for you.The height of the tree is approximately 32.91 feet.

Do you have any further questions or would you like more details?

Here are 5 related questions for practice:

  1. What is the length of the hypotenuse in this scenario?
  2. How would the height change if Robbie stood 60 feet away from the tree?
  3. What if the angle of elevation were 45° instead? How would the height differ?
  4. Can you calculate the angle of elevation if the tree's height were 50 feet?
  5. If Robbie moves 20 feet closer to the tree, what would the new angle of elevation be?

Tip: Always make sure your calculator is set to the correct mode (degrees or radians) when working with trigonometric functions!

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Math Problem Analysis

Mathematical Concepts

Trigonometry
Angle of Elevation

Formulas

tan(θ) = opposite / adjacent
height = tan(θ) × adjacent

Theorems

Tangent Function in Right Triangle

Suitable Grade Level

Grades 8-10