Question

An airplane climbs at an angle of 12 degree with the ground. Find the horizontal distance it has traveled once it has reached an altitude of 500 feet.

Answer 1

Answer: the horizontal distance travelled is 2352 feet

Step-by-step explanation:

The altitude of the airplane, the horizontal distance that it travelled and the angle, θ formed with the ground combine to form a right angle triangle.

The horizontal distance that it travelled represents the adjacent side of the right angle triangle.

The altitude that it reached represents the opposite side of the right angle triangle. To determine the horizontal distance that it has travelled, h, we would apply the tangent trigonometric ratio which is expressed

Tan θ = opposite side/adjacent side

Therefore,

Tan 12 = 500/h

h = 500/Tan 12 = 500/0.2126

h = 2352 feet