Question

A television camera at ground level is filming the lift-off of a space shuttle at a point 750 meters from the launch pad. Find the angle of elevation to the shuttle when the height of the shuttle is 300 meters.

Answer 1

21.8°

Explanation:

tan(θ) = opposite / adjacent

tan(θ) = 300 / 750

θ = arctan(300 / 750)

θ = 21.8°

Answer 2

theta=21.8014

Explanation:

We want to find theta

Since this is a right triangle, we can use trig functions

tan theta = opp /adj

tan theta = 300/750

Taking the inverse tan of each side

tan^-1(tan theta) = tan^-1(300/750)

theta=21.8014