Question

An airplane pilot can see the top of a traffic control tower at a 40 angle of depression. The airplane is 3,500 feet from the top of the tower. How far above the tower is the airplane?

Answer 1

The picture is omitted--please sketch it to confirm my answer.

Set your calculator to degree mode.

sin(40°) = x/3,500

x = 3,500sin(40°) = about 2,249.76 feet