Question:hard

The angle of elevation of the top of a building from a point A, on the ground, is 30\(^{\circ}\). On moving a distance of 24 m towards its base to the point B, the angle of elevation changes to 60\(^{\circ}\). Find the height of the building and distance of point A from the base of the building. (Take \(\sqrt{3}\) = 1.73)

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For nested elevation problems where the angle changes from \( 30^{\circ} \) to \( 60^{\circ} \) over a distance \( d \):
The height \( h \) can be directly calculated using the shortcut:
\[ h = \frac{d\sqrt{3}}{2} \]
Here, \( h = \frac{24\sqrt{3}}{2} = 12\sqrt{3}\text{ m} \). This is a helpful mental check to confirm your calculations.
Updated On: Jul 7, 2026
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Solution and Explanation

Step 1: Set up the two right triangles without introducing extra unknowns for BC.
Let the height of the building be $h$ metres, let $C$ be the foot of the building, $D$ the top of the building, $B$ the nearer point on the ground and $A$ the farther point, where $AB = 24$ m. Let $BC = x$.
From $B$, the angle of elevation to the top is $60^{\circ}$, so in the right triangle $DBC$:
\[ \tan 60^{\circ} = \frac{h}{x} \] From $A$, the angle of elevation is $30^{\circ}$, and $AC = x + 24$, so in the right triangle $DAC$:
\[ \tan 30^{\circ} = \frac{h}{x + 24} \]
Step 2: Divide the two tangent equations to cancel out $h$ first.
Instead of solving each equation separately for $h$, divide the first equation by the second, since $h$ appears in both:
\[ \frac{\tan 60^{\circ}}{\tan 30^{\circ}} = \frac{h/x}{h/(x+24)} = \frac{x + 24}{x} \] Substitute the standard values $\tan 60^{\circ} = \sqrt{3}$ and $\tan 30^{\circ} = \frac{1}{\sqrt{3}}$:
\[ \frac{\sqrt{3}}{1/\sqrt{3}} = \sqrt{3} \times \sqrt{3} = 3 \] So:
\[ \frac{x + 24}{x} = 3 \]
Step 3: Solve this simpler equation for $x$.
\[ x + 24 = 3x \] \[ 24 = 3x - x \] \[ 24 = 2x \] \[ x = 12 \text{ m} \] This means $BC = 12$ m.

Step 4: Use $x$ to find the height and the distance of $A$.
Go back to the first equation, $\tan 60^{\circ} = h/x$, and substitute $x = 12$:
\[ h = x\tan 60^{\circ} = 12\sqrt{3} \] Using $\sqrt{3} = 1.73$:
\[ h = 12 \times 1.73 = 20.76 \text{ m} \] The distance of point $A$ from the base is:
\[ AC = x + 24 = 12 + 24 = 36 \text{ m} \]
Final Answer:
The height of the building is 20.76 m and the distance of point A from the base is 36 m.
\[ \boxed{h = 20.76 \text{ m}, \ AC = 36 \text{ m}} \]
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