Question

A lifeguard is 12.5 ft above a pool in her lifeguard station when she spots a swimmer struggling 42.3 ft away from the base of her station. What is the angle of depression from the lifeguard station to the swimmer? Round the answer to the nearest hundredth.

A. 2.49
B. 12.56
C. 16.46
D. 20.24

Answer 1

tan(angle) = opposite leg / adjacent leg

tan(angle) = 42.3 / 12.5

angle = arctan(42.3 / 12.5)

angle = 73.54

Angle of depression = 90 - 73.54 = 16.46 degrees.

The answer is C.