Miss Banks was on a cruise ship (and brought along her clinometer). She sighted the top of a 208-foot cliff at a 17​°​ angle of elevation.

Question

Miss Banks was on a cruise ship (and brought along her clinometer). She sighted the top of a 208-foot cliff at a 17​°​ angle of elevation. If the ship sits 8 ft above the water, how far was the ship from the base of the cliff?

Answer 1

If hight of cliff is the opposite and the distance from the cliff is base then

Tan 17° = opp/base = 208/base

Or base = 208/tan17° = 208/0.306 = 608ft

Chloe B,

If you need further clarification or are interested in 1-on-1 tutoring, let me know.

Mr. A (Frank)