Question

A zipline starts $120$ feet above the ground and covers a diagonal distance, forming a triangle with the ground. If the angle of elevation where the zipline meets the ground is $65^{\circ}$, what is the horizontal distance from the base of the tower to where the zipline ends?Answers$132$ ft.$51$ ft.$56$ ft.$257$ ft.

Answer 1

Let the horizontal distance be x. Using tangent:

tan(65°) = opposite/adjacent = 120/x

So x = 120 / tan(65°) ≈ 120 / 2.1445 ≈ 56 ft.

Answer: 56 ft.