Question 1

A man standing at a point P is watching the top of a tower, which makes an angle of elevation of 30° with the man's eye. The man walks some distance towards the tower to watch its top and the angle of the elevation becomes 60°. What is the distance …

Accepted Answer

Geometry At point P, angle of elevation to the top is 30°; tower height = h. Distance of P from the tower's base = x. Use tangent tan 30° = h / x ⇒ (1/√3) = h / xx = √3 h The subsequent change to 60° after walking closer is consistent but not needed to find x from the first position.

Question 2

The angle of elevation of a ladder leaning against a wall is 60° and the foot of the ladder is 4.6 m away from the wall. The length of the ladder is:

Accepted Answer

Given Angle between ladder and ground = 60°. Distance of foot from wall (base) = 4.6 m. Right-triangle relation cos 60° = base / hypotenuse = 4.6 / LL = 4.6 / cos 60° = 4.6 / 0.5 = 9.2 m

Question 3

An observer 1.6 m tall is 20√3 away from a tower. The angle of elevation from his eye to the top of the tower is 30°. The heights of the tower is:

Accepted Answer

Given Observer's eye height = 1.6 m. Horizontal distance to tower = 20√3 m. Angle of elevation = 30°. Compute tower height H tan 30° = (H − 1.6) / (20√3) = 1/√3⇒ H − 1.6 = 20 ⇒ H = 21.6 m

Question 4

From a point P on a level ground, the angle of elevation of the top tower is 30°. If the tower is 100 m high, the distance of point P from the foot of the tower is:

Accepted Answer

Given Tower height = 100 m. Angle of elevation from point P = 30°. Distance from foot to P tan 30° = height / distance ⇒ 1/√3 = 100 / dd = 100√3 = 100√3 m

Question 5

The angle of elevation of the sun, when the length of the shadow of a tree √3 times the height of the tree, is:

Accepted Answer

Given Shadow length = √3 × height of the tree. Sun's elevation θ tan θ = (height)/(shadow) = 1/√3θ = 30°

Question 6

Two ships are sailing in the sea on the two sides of a lighthouse. The angle of elevation of the top of the lighthouse is observed from the ships are 30° and 45° respectively. If the lighthouse is 100 m high, the distance between the two ships is:

Accepted Answer

Given Height of lighthouse, H = 100 m Angles of elevation from the two ships: 30° and 45° Ships are on opposite sides of the lighthouse Step 1: Horizontal distance of ship with 30° 	an 30^\u00b0 = 𝐻 𝑑 1 d 1 H ⇒ 1 3 3 1 = 100 𝑑 1 d 1 100 d 1 1 = 100 3 3 m Step 2: Horizontal distance of ship with 45° 	an 45^\u00b0 = 𝐻 𝑑 2 d 2 H = 1 ⇒ d 2 2 = 100 m Step 3: Distance between ships Opposite sides ⇒ total separation = d 1 1 + d 2 2 = 100 3 3 + 100 = 100(\u221A3 + 1) m

Question 7

A ladder leans against a vertical wall, making a 60° angle with the ground. The foot of the ladder is 12.4 m from the wall. Find the length of the ladder (in metres).

Accepted Answer

Introduction / Context: Ladders against walls are right-triangle problems. The ladder is the hypotenuse, the distance of the foot from the wall is the adjacent side, and the angle with ground gives a direct cosine relation. Given Data / Assumptions: Angle with ground θ = 60°. Adjacent side (base) = 12.4 m. Right triangle with the wall. Concept / Approach: cos θ = adjacent / hypotenuse ⇒ hypotenuse = adjacent / cos θ. Step-by-Step Solution: cos 60° = 1/2.Length = 12.4 / (1/2) = 24.8 m. Verification / Alternative check: Using sin 60° for height: height = 24.8 * (√3/2) ≈ 21.47 m; then tan 60° = height/12.4 ≈ 21.47/12.4 ≈ 1.73 ≈ √3; consistent. Why Other Options Are Wrong: 12.4 m is just the base; 14.8 and 22.8 m contradict cos 60°; 6.2 m halves the base incorrectly. Common Pitfalls: Confusing which side is adjacent/opposite; using tan instead of cos for this configuration. Final Answer: 24.8 m

Question 8

From the bank of a river, a person sees that the angle subtended by a tree on the opposite bank is 60°. After walking 40 m directly away from the bank (backwards), the angle becomes 30°. Find the breadth (width) of the river (in metres).

Accepted Answer

Introduction / Context: Angle-of-elevation style geometry with two observations at different horizontal distances lets us solve for the unknown width. Here, “angle subtended by the tree” is effectively the angle of elevation to its top from ground level (base angle ≈ 0). Given Data / Assumptions: Initial angle = 60° at distance x (river breadth) from the tree. After moving 40 m away, angle = 30° at distance x + 40. Tree height = h (unknown, cancels). Concept / Approach: tan θ = opposite / adjacent = h / horizontal_distance. Write two equations and eliminate h. Step-by-Step Solution: h = x * tan 60° = x√3.Also h = (x + 40) * tan 30° = (x + 40) / √3.Equate: x√3 = (x + 40)/√3 ⇒ 3x = x + 40 ⇒ 2x = 40 ⇒ x = 20 m. Verification / Alternative check: Plug back: h = 20√3; second position: tan 30° = (20√3)/(60) = 1/√3 ✔. Why Other Options Are Wrong: 30, 40, 60, 80 m fail the tangent relations simultaneously for both angles. Common Pitfalls: Using sin instead of tan; forgetting the second horizontal distance is x + 40 (farther away). Final Answer: 20 m

Question 9

From the top of a tower, a boat is observed moving directly away. When the horizontal distance is 60 m, the angle of depression is 45°. After 5 seconds, the angle of depression becomes 30°. Assuming straight-line motion on still water, find the boat…

Accepted Answer

Introduction / Context: Angles of depression equal angles of elevation from the boat. With two angles at two horizontal distances separated by a known time, we can deduce tower height and the boat’s horizontal speed. Given Data / Assumptions: First horizontal distance d1 = 60 m with angle = 45°. After 5 s, angle = 30° ⇒ new horizontal distance d2 unknown. Right-triangle geometry, flat ground. Concept / Approach: tan θ = height / horizontal_distance. At 45°, height equals horizontal distance. Use that to get tower height, then find d2 from 30°, then speed = (d2 − d1)/time. Step-by-Step Solution: h = d1 * tan 45° = 60 m.At 30°: tan 30° = h/d2 ⇒ 1/√3 = 60/d2 ⇒ d2 = 60√3 ≈ 103.92 m.Distance gained in 5 s = 103.92 − 60 = 43.92 m.Speed = 43.92/5 ≈ 8.784 m/s ⇒ 8.784 * 3.6 ≈ 31.5 km/h. Verification / Alternative check: Recomputing back to angles with this speed gives the same distances and angles in 5 s; numerics align. Why Other Options Are Wrong: 30, 33, 34, 28.8 km/h correspond to rounding extremes or arithmetic slips when converting to km/h. Common Pitfalls: Using d2 − d1 with wrong sign; mixing degrees and radians; skipping the conversion from m/s to km/h (multiply by 3.6). Final Answer: 31.5 km/h

Question 10

From point P on level ground, the angle of elevation of the top of a vertical tower is 30°. If the height of the tower is 100 m, find the horizontal distance of P from the foot of the tower (in metres).

Accepted Answer

Introduction / Context: This is a direct tangent application in a right triangle formed by the tower (vertical), the ground (horizontal), and the line of sight. Given Data / Assumptions: Tower height h = 100 m. Angle of elevation θ = 30°. Concept / Approach: tan θ = opposite / adjacent = h / x ⇒ x = h / tan θ. Step-by-Step Solution: tan 30° = 1/√3.x = 100 / (1/√3) = 100√3 ≈ 173 m. Verification / Alternative check: Back check: tan 30° = 100 / 173 ≈ 0.577? No—use exact √3: 100 / (100√3) = 1/√3 ✔ (≈ 0.577 inverse is 1.732 for √3). Why Other Options Are Wrong: 100 m assumes 45°; 200 or 273 m do not satisfy tan 30°; 150 m is an arbitrary round-off. Common Pitfalls: Confusing sine and tangent; approximating √3 poorly; unit conversion is not needed here. Final Answer: 173 m

Question 11

A vertical pole is 75 m high. What is the angle subtended by the pole at a point on level ground that is 75 m away from its base?

Accepted Answer

Introduction / Context: “Angle subtended by the pole” at a ground point is the angle between the lines of sight to the top and bottom of the pole. Since the bottom is at eye level on ground, this reduces to the usual angle of elevation to the top for a vertical object. Given Data / Assumptions: Pole height h = 75 m. Horizontal distance x = 75 m. Concept / Approach: Angle of elevation θ satisfies tan θ = h / x. With h = x, θ must be 45°. Step-by-Step Solution: tan θ = 75 / 75 = 1 ⇒ θ = 45°. Verification / Alternative check: If the point were at 150 m, θ would be arctan(1/2) < 45°; if at 50 m, θ would be arctan(3/2) > 45°—consistent behavior. Why Other Options Are Wrong: 30° or 60° correspond to x unequal to h; 90° would require zero horizontal distance (impossible for a finite point on the ground). Common Pitfalls: Overthinking “subtended angle”; here it equals the elevation angle to the top from level ground. Final Answer: 45°

Question 12

Standing on a river bank, a person observes the top of a tower on the opposite bank at 45° elevation. Which statement is correct about the river’s breadth compared to the tower’s height?

Accepted Answer

Introduction / Context: The 45° angle of elevation to the top of a vertical object on level ground is a signature configuration: the opposite and adjacent legs of the right triangle are equal. Given Data / Assumptions: Angle of elevation θ = 45°. Ground is level; tower is vertical. Concept / Approach: tan 45° = 1 ⇒ opposite/adjacent = 1 ⇒ height = horizontal distance. Here, the horizontal distance equals the river’s breadth. Step-by-Step Solution: Let height = H and breadth = B. tan 45° = H/B = 1 ⇒ H = B. Verification / Alternative check: Any angle greater than 45° would imply H > B; any angle less than 45° implies H < B. With 45°, equality holds. Why Other Options Are Wrong: “Half” or “twice” contradicts tan 45° = 1; “None of these” is false because equality is exactly true. Common Pitfalls: Confusing sine/cosine with tangent; overlooking that the breadth equals the adjacent side in the triangle. Final Answer: Breadth of the river and the height of the tower are equal

Question 13

From the midpoint of the line segment joining the feet of two vertical towers, the angles of elevation to their tops are 60° and 30°, respectively. Find the ratio of the heights of the two towers.

Accepted Answer

Introduction / Context: With observation at the midpoint between the bases, the horizontal distances to the two towers are equal. Thus heights are proportional to tan of their elevation angles at the same base distance. Given Data / Assumptions: Equal horizontal distance d to both towers. Angles: 60° for the taller, 30° for the shorter (w.l.o.g.). Concept / Approach: h ∝ tan θ when horizontal distance is constant. Therefore, ratio of heights = tan 60° : tan 30° = √3 : (1/√3) = 3 : 1. Step-by-Step Solution: h1 = d * tan 60° = d√3; h2 = d * tan 30° = d/√3.h1 : h2 = (d√3) : (d/√3) = 3 : 1. Verification / Alternative check: If both angles were 45°, the ratio would be 1 : 1. Here, 60° to one tower ensures it is three times the other for the same d. Why Other Options Are Wrong: 2 : 1 or √3 : 1 ignore tan 30° = 1/√3; 3 : 2 understates the difference. Common Pitfalls: Using sin/cos instead of tan; assuming unequal distances when “midpoint” guarantees equality. Final Answer: 3 : 1

Question 14

On level ground, the angle of elevation of the top of a tower is 30°. After moving 20 m nearer the tower, the angle increases to 60°. Find the height of the tower (in metres).

Accepted Answer

Introduction / Context: Two elevation angles from positions 20 m apart allow solving the system for both distance and height via tangent relations. Given Data / Assumptions: Initial angle = 30° at distance x. Second angle = 60° at distance x − 20. Height h unknown. Concept / Approach: Write h = x * tan 30° and h = (x − 20) * tan 60°. Equate to eliminate h and solve for x, then back-substitute to get h. Step-by-Step Solution: x * (1/√3) = (x − 20) * √3.x = 3(x − 20) ⇒ x = 3x − 60 ⇒ 2x = 60 ⇒ x = 30 m.h = x / √3 = 30/√3 = 10√3 m. Verification / Alternative check: At x − 20 = 10 m, tan 60° = h/10 ⇒ h = 10√3 ✔; all consistent. Why Other Options Are Wrong: 10, 15, 20, 30 m ignore √3 relationships intrinsic to 30°/60° pairs. Common Pitfalls: Using x + 20 instead of x − 20 for “moved nearer”; mixing degrees and radians in calculators. Final Answer: 10√3 m

Question 15

The ratio of the length of a vertical rod to the length of its shadow is 1 : √3. What is the angle of elevation of the Sun?

Accepted Answer

Introduction / Context: Shadow problems convert to tan θ = height / shadow. A given ratio directly yields θ by matching to standard angles. Given Data / Assumptions: Height : shadow = 1 : √3 ⇒ height/shadow = 1/√3. Concept / Approach: tan θ = height/shadow = 1/√3. Standard angles give tan 30° = 1/√3, so θ = 30°. Step-by-Step Solution: tan θ = 1/√3 ⇒ θ = 30°. Verification / Alternative check: If θ were 45°, the ratio would be 1 : 1; if 60°, the ratio would be √3 : 1. Neither matches 1 : √3. Why Other Options Are Wrong: 45° and 60° correspond to different tangent values; 90° would give zero shadow (not this ratio), 15° gives much larger shadow. Common Pitfalls: Inverting the ratio; using sine instead of tangent for shadow length. Final Answer: 30°

Question 16

When the Sun’s elevation is 30°, a 50 m tall building casts a shadow of what length (in metres)?

Accepted Answer

Introduction / Context: Shadow length on level ground lies along the adjacent side when using tangent: tan θ = height / shadow. Given Data / Assumptions: Height h = 50 m; θ = 30°. Concept / Approach: shadow = h / tan θ. For θ = 30°, tan 30° = 1/√3, so shadow = 50 / (1/√3) = 50√3. Step-by-Step Solution: shadow = 50 * √3 ≈ 86.6 m. Verification / Alternative check: A lower Sun (smaller θ) makes longer shadows; 30° gives a shadow longer than the height, consistent with 50√3 > 50. Why Other Options Are Wrong: 25 m or 25√3 m underestimate; 100 m doubles the height without trigonometric basis; “50 m √3” is the same as 50√3 m but if interpreted as 50 m × √3 the correct numeric is captured by option wording b. Common Pitfalls: Using sin or cos instead of tan; forgetting the inverse when solving for shadow. Final Answer: 50√3 m

Question 17

A tower stands at the end of a straight road. From two points on the road 500 m apart, the angles of elevation to the top are 45° (farther point) and 60° (nearer point). Find the height of the tower (in exact form).

Accepted Answer

Introduction / Context: Two elevation angles from collinear points separated by known distance allow solving for both the tower height and the nearer distance by simultaneous tangent equations. Given Data / Assumptions: Let x be the nearer distance to the tower (angle 60°); farther distance = x + 500 with angle 45°. Height h unknown. Concept / Approach: Use tan 60° = h/x and tan 45° = h/(x + 500). Equate h from both to eliminate h and solve for x, then substitute to get h in exact surd form. Step-by-Step Solution: From 60°: h = x√3.From 45°: h = x + 500.Equate: x√3 = x + 500 ⇒ (√3 − 1)x = 500 ⇒ x = 500/(√3 − 1).Then h = x√3 = 500√3/(√3 − 1). Verification / Alternative check: Rationalize: h = 500√3(√3 + 1)/( (√3 − 1)(√3 + 1)) = 500(3 + √3)/2 ≈ 1,116.0 m; plugging back reproduces 45° and 60°. Why Other Options Are Wrong: Using √3 + 1 in denominator flips the comparative sizes; 5000√3 is dimensionally off; the provided exact form in option (a) is correct. Common Pitfalls: Mixing which point is nearer/farther; algebra sign errors when isolating x; skipping rationalization can hide mistakes. Final Answer: 500√3 / (√3 − 1)

Question 18

A tower is 100 m high. As the Sun’s elevation changes from 30° to 45°, the length of the tower’s shadow decreases by P metres. Find P.

Accepted Answer

Introduction / Context: Shadow length on level ground is h / tan θ. For two elevations, the difference gives the shrinkage as the Sun rises. Given Data / Assumptions: Height h = 100 m. θ1 = 30°, θ2 = 45°. Concept / Approach: P = shadow(30°) − shadow(45°) = h(1/tan 30° − 1/tan 45°). Step-by-Step Solution: 1/tan 30° = √3; 1/tan 45° = 1.P = 100(√3 − 1) m. Verification / Alternative check: Numerically, √3 ≈ 1.732 ⇒ P ≈ 73.2 m. As elevation increases from 30° to 45°, the shadow shortens—positive P makes sense. Why Other Options Are Wrong: 100√3 m or 100 m √3 are full shadow values at 30°, not the difference; 100 m or 50(√3 − 1) m are incorrect magnitudes. Common Pitfalls: Using sine/cosine for shadow; reversing the subtraction order (leading to negative P). Final Answer: 100(√3 − 1) m

Question 19

From the top of a 25 m high cliff, the angle of elevation to the top of a tower equals the angle of depression to the foot of the tower. Find the height of the tower (in metres).

Accepted Answer

Introduction / Context: Equal acute angles from the same observation point to the top and bottom imply equal opposite legs over the same horizontal distance. Setting equal tangents simplifies the relation between tower height and cliff height. Given Data / Assumptions: Cliff height = 25 m. Let tower height = H and horizontal distance = d. Concept / Approach: Angle of elevation to tower top: tan α = (H − 25) / d. Angle of depression to tower base: tan α = 25 / d. Equality gives (H − 25)/d = 25/d ⇒ H − 25 = 25. Step-by-Step Solution: H − 25 = 25 ⇒ H = 50 m. Verification / Alternative check: With H = 50, the two triangles from the observation point to tower top and base are symmetric in vertical offsets (25 up vs 25 down) over the same horizontal distance, giving equal angles. Why Other Options Are Wrong: 40, 48, 52, 45 m break the equality of tangents derived from the geometric condition. Common Pitfalls: Using H instead of (H − 25) for elevation; confusing depression with elevation; assuming equal sides instead of equal tangents. Final Answer: 50 m

Question 20

From a point 20 m from the base of a vertical tower, the angle of elevation of the top is 45°. Find the height of the tower (in metres).

Accepted Answer

Introduction / Context: A 45° elevation to a vertical object on level ground gives a one-to-one relation between height and horizontal distance. Given Data / Assumptions: Horizontal distance x = 20 m; θ = 45°. Concept / Approach: tan 45° = height/x = 1 ⇒ height = x. Step-by-Step Solution: Height h = 20 m. Verification / Alternative check: If the angle were 30°, height would drop to 20/√3 ≈ 11.55 m; if 60°, it would increase to 20√3 ≈ 34.64 m. Why Other Options Are Wrong: 10 m halves the correct value; 40 m doubles it; 20√3 m corresponds to 60°, not 45°. Common Pitfalls: Using sine or cosine; misreading 20 m as vertical instead of horizontal. Final Answer: 20 m

Height and Distance Questions