Question

A meteorologist measures the angle of elevation of a weather balloon is 41 degrees. A radio signal from the balloon indicates that it is 1503 meters from his location. To the nearest meter how high above the ground is the balloon?

Answer 1

You can draw a diagram of the situation, representing it by a right triuangle.

In the right triangle the hypotenuse is the distance indicated by the radio signal, 1503 m, and the angle is 41°.

The opposed leg to 41° is the height of the ballon.

Then you can use the sine trigonometric function.

sine (41°) = opposed leg / hypotenuse = x / 1503 m => x = 1503m * sine(41°)

=> x = 986m.

Answer: 986m