Question

8. The world's tallest

totem pole is in Alert
Bay, B.C., home of the
Nimpkish First Nation.
Twenty feet from the
base of the totem pole,
the angle of elevation
of the top of the pole
is 83.4º. How tall is
the totem pole to the
nearest foot?

Answer 1

The height of the totem tree is approximately 172.8ft

Explanation:

Hello,

To find the height of the totem pole, we need to use our date to make a pictorial representation so that we can know if the pole and base makes a right angle triangle with the angle of elevation.

See attached document for better illustration.

Let T represent the height of the pole.

Using trigonometric ratio,

SOHCAHTOA, we can use tangent since we have our adjacent and we're to solve for the opposite.

Tanθ = opposite/ adjacent

Opposite = T

Adjacent = 20ft

θ = 83.4°

Tan83.4 = T / 20

T = 20Tan83.4

T = 20 × 8.64

T = 172.8ft

The height of the totem tree is approximately 172.8ft