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The angle of elevation of the top of a small tree from a point on the ground 300┬аm away from the foot of the tree was 30┬░. When the tree grew taller, its angle of elevation became 60┬░ from the same point. By how much did the tree grow?
3тАЛ100тАЛ┬аm
2003тАЛ┬аm
3тАЛ200тАЛ┬аm
1003тАЛ┬аm
2003тАЛ┬аm
Use the property of 30-60-90 triangles. For a fixed base, growth is d(tan60┬░тИТtan30┬░)=300(3тАЛтИТ3тАЛ1тАЛ)=300(3тАЛ3тИТ1тАЛ)=3тАЛ600тАЛ=2003тАЛ.
Distance from tree base (d) = 300 m, initial angle (╬╕_1) = 30┬░, final angle (╬╕_2) = 60┬░.
Growth=d├Ч(tan╬╕2тАЛтИТtan╬╕1тАЛ)
Use the property of 30-60-90 triangles. For a fixed base, growth is d(tan60┬░тИТtan30┬░)=300(3тАЛтИТ3тАЛ1тАЛ)=300(3тАЛ3тИТ1тАЛ)=3тАЛ600тАЛ=2003тАЛ.
Students often calculate the initial height and final height separately and forget to subtract, or use cotangent instead of tangent, leading to incorrect values.
Calculate initial height
Initial height h1тАЛ is given by h1тАЛ=d├Чtan30┬░. Using d=300 and tan30┬░=3тАЛ1тАЛ, we get h1тАЛ=300/3тАЛ=1003тАЛ.
h1тАЛ=3тАЛ300тАЛ=1003тАЛ
Calculate final height
Final height h2тАЛ is given by h2тАЛ=d├Чtan60┬░. Using d=300 and tan60┬░=3тАЛ, we get h2тАЛ=3003тАЛ.
h2тАЛ=3003тАЛ
Calculate growth
The growth is the difference in height: h2тАЛтИТh1тАЛ=3003тАЛтИТ1003тАЛ=2003тАЛ.
Growth=3003тАЛтИТ1003тАЛ=2003тАЛ
B is correct because the difference between the final height 3003тАЛ m and initial height 1003тАЛ m is 2003тАЛ m.
This concept is foundational for 'Heights and Distances'. Mastering 30-60-90 degree triangle ratios helps avoid trigonometric table lookups in time-bound exams.