JEE Main
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- JEE Main
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- Heights and Distances
JEE Main · Mathematics · Heights and Distances
A vertical pole stands at a point O on the horizontal ground. A...
A vertical pole stands at a point on the horizontal ground. A person at point , due South of the pole, observes the angle of elevation of the top of the pole to be . The person then walks a distance of due East to reach point , where the angle of elevation of the top of the pole is observed to be . The height of the pole is:
Options
- A
- B
- C
- D
Correct answer
A.
Step-by-step solution
Let the height of the vertical pole be .
At point , the angle of elevation is . The distance from the base of the pole to is:
At point , the angle of elevation is . The distance from the base of the pole to is:
Point is due South of , and point is due East of . This means the triangle formed on the ground is a right-angled triangle, with the right angle at .
Using the Pythagorean theorem in :
Substitute the known values ():
\left(\dfrac{h}{\sqrt{3}}\right)^2 + 40^2 = h^2\dfrac{h^2}{3} + 1600 = h^21600 = h^2 - \dfrac{h^2}{3} = \dfrac{2h^2}{3}h^2 = \dfrac{1600 \times 3}{2} = 2400h = \sqrt{2400} = 20\sqrt{6} \text{ m}20\sqrt{6} \text{ m}
At point , the angle of elevation is . The distance from the base of the pole to is:
At point , the angle of elevation is . The distance from the base of the pole to is:
Point is due South of , and point is due East of . This means the triangle formed on the ground is a right-angled triangle, with the right angle at .
Using the Pythagorean theorem in :
Substitute the known values ():
\left(\dfrac{h}{\sqrt{3}}\right)^2 + 40^2 = h^2\dfrac{h^2}{3} + 1600 = h^21600 = h^2 - \dfrac{h^2}{3} = \dfrac{2h^2}{3}h^2 = \dfrac{1600 \times 3}{2} = 2400h = \sqrt{2400} = 20\sqrt{6} \text{ m}20\sqrt{6} \text{ m}