Question
Help? The summit of Mount Everest is approximately 29,035 ft above sea level. What is the distance from the summit to the horizon, rounded to the nearest mile? Assume that the distance from the Earth's center to any point on Earth's surface is 4,000 miles.
Answers
Steve
Draw a diagram. There is a right angle at the horizon, so the distance d is
4000^2 + d^2 = (4000 + 29035/5280)^2
you can compare that to the estimate of
d = √(2Rh)
4000^2 + d^2 = (4000 + 29035/5280)^2
you can compare that to the estimate of
d = √(2Rh)