The ratio of the height of a tower and the length of its shadow on the ground is $\sqrt{3} : 1$. What is the angle of elevation of the sun?
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Question

The ratio of the height of a tower and the length of its shadow on the ground is $\sqrt{3} : 1$. What is the angle of elevation of the sun?

Accepted Answer

Let the height of the tower be $\sqrt{3}x$ and the shadow length be $x$. The angle of elevation $	heta$ is given by $	an 	heta = \frac{	ext{Height}}{	ext{Shadow length}} = \frac{\sqrt{3}x}{x} = \sqrt{3}$. Since $	an 60^\circ = \sqrt{3}$, we get $	heta = 60^\circ$.

Applications of Trigonometry

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