Trig Problem help

Question

On a test flight, during the landing of a space shuttle, the ship was 305ft above the beginning of the landing strip. It came in on an angle of 6 degrees with the landing strip. How far from the beginning of the landing strip did it touch the ground. Round to 3 decimals.

Answer 1

Draw and label a diagram:

P is the location of the plane

S is the point directly beneath the plane

L is the point of landing

 

tan 6° = 305 / SL

or

tan 84° = SL / 305

 

Can you solve for SL?