Question

Two birds sit at the top of two different trees that are both 29.7 feet tall. The distance between the first bird and a bird watcher on the ground is 42.1 feet. What is the angle measure, or angle of depression, between this bird and the bird watcher? A. 35.2˚ B. 44.9˚ C. 45.1˚ D. 54.8˚

Answer 1

If the first bird is on top of the bird watcher and the height of the tree is the same, then we form a right triangle with right angle on the second bird.
We can solve the angle of depression by trigonometric functions. So,sin θ = 29.7 / 42.1θ = sin-1 (29.7/42.1)θ = 44.87°
Therefore, the angle of depression of the second bird and the bird watcher is 44.87°.