Question

Finding the Height of the Alexandria Lighthouse.

The figure above shows one of the Seven Wonders of the World, the Great Lighthouse at Alexandria, Egypt, whose construction started in 290 B.c. The platform on which the lighthouse stands is about 100 m wide, and the angle of elevation from the corner of the platform to the top of the lighthouse is 67°. To the nearest meter, how high is the lighthouse?

Answer 1

Set your calculator to degree mode.

tan(67°) = h/50

h = 50tan(67°) = 118 meters