Answer:
5.1 kilometers
Explanation:
To solve this problem, we can use the Pythagorean theorem, which relates the sides of a right triangle. In this case, we have a right triangle where the horizontal distance from the airplane to the airport is 5 kilometers, and the vertical distance (altitude) is 1.2 kilometers.
According to the Pythagorean theorem, the hypotenuse of a right triangle is found by taking the square root of the sum of the squares of the other two sides. In this case, the hypotenuse represents the direct distance from the airplane to the airport, which is the distance the pilot needs to tell the control tower.
Let's solve it step by step:
Square the horizontal distance and the altitude:
Horizontal distance squared = 5^2 = 25
Altitude squared = 1.2^2 = 1.44
Add the squared values together:
25 + 1.44 = 26.44
Take the square root of the sum:
√26.44 ≈ 5.14
Therefore, the pilot should tell the American control tower that the distance to the nearest tenth of a kilometer is approximately 5.1 kilometers.
Hope this helps!