Question:medium

Find the angle of elevation of the Sun when the length of the shadow of a pole is $\sqrt{3$ times the height of the pole.}

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Use right triangle trigonometry: angle of elevation $\theta$ satisfies $\tan \theta = \frac{\text{height}}{\text{shadow length}}$.
Updated On: Jan 16, 2026
  • 30°
  • 45°
  • 60°
  • 90°
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The Correct Option is A

Solution and Explanation

Let $h$ represent the height of the pole and $s = \sqrt{3}h$ represent the length of its shadow. Let $\theta$ denote the angle of elevation of the Sun. Considering the right triangle formed by the pole and its shadow, we have:\[\tan \theta = \frac{\text{opposite}}{\text{adjacent}} = \frac{h}{\sqrt{3}h} = \frac{1}{\sqrt{3}}\]Referencing standard trigonometric values, we find:\[\tan 30° = \frac{1}{\sqrt{3}} \implies \theta = 30°\]
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