Question

From a balloon 760 feet high, the angle of depression to the ranger headquarters is 89°18'. How far is the headquarters from a point on the ground directly below the balloon (to the nearest foot)?

Answer 1

tanα=h/d

d=h/tanα, h=760 and α=89°+18'(1°/60')=89.3°

d=760/tan89.3° ft

d≈9 ft