A pilot in a helicopter sports a landing pad below. If the angle of elevation is73 degree and the horizontal distance to the pad is 1200 feet, what is the altitude of the helicopter?

the altitude of the helicopter is 3925ft

Step-by-step explanation:

we know the angle that is formed between the floor and the distance from the platform to the helicopter (73°)

and we know the distance of the platform (1200 feet)

at the angle we will call it α

and at the distance of 1200 feet we will call it adjacent

we want to know the height that in this case would be the opposite leg to the angle we have

we see that it has (angle, adjacent, opposite)

well to start we have to know the relationship between angles, legas and the hypotenuse

a: adjacent

o: opposite

h: hypotenuse

sin α = o/h

cos α = a/h

tan α = o/a

it's the tangent

tan α = o/a

we replace the values and solve

tan α = o/a

tan 73 = o/1200

3.2708 * 1200 = o

o = 3925

This means that the altitude of the helicopter is 3925ft