Paul is standing on a 39 m high building. The angle of elevation to the top of a taller building is 47 degrees and the angle of depression to the bottom of the same building is 36 degrees. What is the height of the taller building to the nearest tenth.

Answer 1

Draw a diagram and review your basic trig functions. Then it will be clear that if the distance between the buildings is x and the height of the taller building is h, then

39/x = tan36°
(h-39)/x = tan47°

so,

h = (39/tan36°)(tan 47°) + 39

Answer 2

That's what is difficult for me. I have trouble drawing the diagram. Otherwise I know how to solve these problems. I need help drawing diagrams of these word problems. Is there a way you can possibly teach me how to draw diagrams?

Answer 3

In this case,

Draw the horizontal ground

Draw two vertical lines standing on the horizontal ground, one taller than the other. Label their tops A and B, and their bottoms C and D

Draw a horizontal line from the top of the shorter building (A) to where it intersects with the taller building at E.

The distance x between the buildings is x = AE = CD

Draw the sloping lines AB and AD. Label the angles DAE and EAB as required.

Now you can see the required trig relationships, since

DE = 39
EB = h-39

There is no trick to drawing diagrams. Just take each sentence and turn it into line segments.