Question

To approach a runway, a plane must begin a 7° descent starting from a height of 3 miles above the ground. To the nearest mile, how many miles from the runway is the airplane at the start of this approach?

Answer 1

Make a triangle so that 7° is across from side of 3 mi.
Sin € = opp./hyp. (SOH)
Hyp. = x
So Sin (7) = 3/x --> x = 3/Sin7
x = 3/0.12187 = 24.61 mi.