Question

Charlie is at a small airfield watching for the approach of a small plane with engine trouble. He sees the plane at a angle of elevation of 32. At the same time time, the pilot radios Charlie and reports the planes altitude is 1,700ft. Charlies eyes are 5.2ft from the ground. Find the difference from Charlie to the plane? Please show how you know!

Answer 1

First find the vertical distance from Charlie to the plane by subtracting the altitude of Charlie's eyes from the altitude of the plane: 1700-5.2=1694.8 ft. Let d be the distance from Charlie to the plane. Use the trignometric relationship in the right triangle: sin32=1694.8/d. d=3198 ft.