Question

An observer (O) is located 900 feet from a building (B). The observer notices a helicopter (H) flying at a 49° angle of elevation from his line of sight. How high is the helicopter flying over the building? You must show all work and calculations to receive full credit. A right triangle is shown with one leg measuring 900 and another leg measuring h, with an angle across from it measuring 49 degrees.

Answer 1

To find the height at which the helicopter is flying over the building, we can use trigonometry. By using the tangent function and substituting the given values, the helicopter is flying approximately 1233.52 feet above the building.

Step-by-step explanation:

To find the height at which the helicopter is flying over the building, we can use trigonometry. Since we are given the distance from the observer to the building and the angle of elevation, we can use the tangent function.

Tan(angle) = Opposite / Adjacent

Opposite = Adjacent * Tan(angle)

Substituting the values given, we have Opposite = 900 * Tan(49°) = 1233.52 feet. Therefore, the helicopter is flying approximately 1233.52 feet above the building.