Question

Paula spots a glider located at an angle of elevation of 42 degrees. the distance between the glider and paula is 3280 feet. to the nearest foot, what is the height of the glider h from the ground?

Answer 1

distance = 3280 feet. This is the triangle's hypotenuse.

The distance from the ground is the opposite side as it is opposite the angle 42˚

Sin = Opposite/Hypotenuse

Sin(42) = Opposite/3280 Answer: 2195 feet

Cross multiply

Opposite = sin(42) x 3280

Opposite = 2194.7 feet

Answer 2

This situation represents triangle with one angle of 90 degrees. That angle is directly below glider. That means that we can you basic trigonometry functions.

sin42 = h/3280

Now we express h.
h = 3280* sin42
h = 2195 feet

The answer is 2195 feet.