Question

A satellite, B, is 19,000 miles from the horizon of Earth. Earth's radius is about 4,000 miles. Find the approximate distance the satellite is from the Earth's surface. The diagram is not to scale.

A. 19,416

B. 13,464

C. 20,957

D. 15,416

Answer 1

To find the distance the satellite is from the Earth's surface, we can simply subtract the radius of the Earth from the distance from the horizon.

Distance from Earth's surface = Distance from horizon - Earth's radius
Distance from Earth's surface = 19,000 miles - 4,000 miles
Distance from Earth's surface = 15,000 miles

Therefore, the approximate distance the satellite is from the Earth's surface is 15,000 miles.

The closest answer choice is:

D. 15,416