Question

Shortly after takeoff, an airplane is climbing 250 feet for every 1,000 feet it travels. Estimate the airplane’s climb angle while this is happening. Explain how you arrived at your estimate

Answer 1

Answer: The climb angle is 14°

Step-by-step explanation:

We can create a rectangle triangle, where the velocity of the plane is the hypotenuse, the horiontal component (1000 ft by unit of time) is a cathetus and the vertical component is (250ft by unit of time).

We want to find the angle that is adjacent to the horizontal component, so we can use the relationship.

Tan(angle) = opposite cathetus/adjacent cathetus

Tan(angle) = 250/1000 = 1/4

Angle = Atan(1/4) = 14°