Question

A ski run is 1200 yards long with a vertical drop of 308 yards.  Find the angle of depression from the top of the ski run to the bottom.  ​

Answer 1

The vertical drop created an angle of 90 degrees.

Therefore, you have a right triangle.

Let's name the ski run AB, and the vertical drop BC.

Angle B would be 90 degrees.

We have two measurements AB = 1200 and BC = 308 so we can find the third measurement AC by doing pythagoras:

1200^2 + 308^2 = 1239 yards

now with the sine law

1239/sin90 = 308/sin(angle of depression)

angle of depression = sin-1(308 x sin90/ 1239) = 14.4 degrees