1. **State the problem:** A construction worker 6.5 feet tall stands 8 feet away from a two-storey building 40 feet high. We need to find the angle of elevation from the worker's eyes to the top of the building, correct to 1 decimal place.
2. **Identify the relevant quantities:**
- Height of building: 40 feet
- Height of worker: 6.5 feet
- Distance from worker to building: 8 feet
3. **Calculate the vertical height difference:**
The angle of elevation is measured from the worker's eye level, so the vertical height difference is:
$$40 - 6.5 = 33.5$$ feet
4. **Use the tangent function:**
The angle of elevation $\theta$ satisfies:
$$\tan(\theta) = \frac{\text{opposite}}{\text{adjacent}} = \frac{33.5}{8}$$
5. **Calculate the angle:**
$$\theta = \tan^{-1}\left(\frac{33.5}{8}\right)$$
6. **Evaluate the arctangent:**
$$\theta = \tan^{-1}(4.1875)$$
Using a calculator,
$$\theta \approx 76.5^\circ$$
**Final answer:** The angle of elevation to the top of the building is approximately **76.5 degrees**.
Angle Elevation 3F3A73
Step-by-step solutions with LaTeX - clean, fast, and student-friendly.