Question

A 23.7-foot tall flagpole casts a 42-foot shadow. What is the angle that the sun hits the flagpole? Express your answer in DMS

Answer 1

60.6°

Explanation:

Using trigonometry :

Opposite = Height of shadow = 42 feets

Adjacent = height of flagpole = 23.7 feets

Tan θ = opposite / Adjacent

Tan θ = height of shadow / height of flagpole

Tan θ = 42 / 23.7

Tan θ = 1.7721518

θ = tan^-1(1.7721518)

θ = 60.56

θ = 60.6°