The height of a pole is \(2\sqrt{3}\) metres and the length of its shadow is 2 metres. What will be the angle of elevation of the Sun?
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 3
The correct answer is Option (3) → 60°
The pole, its shadow and the sun's ray form a right-angled triangle. The angle of elevation θ is at the tip of the shadow, so the pole is the side opposite θ and the shadow the side next to it: \(\tan\theta=\frac{\text{pole}}{\text{shadow}}\).
\(\tan\theta=\displaystyle\frac{2\sqrt{3}}{2}=\sqrt{3}\)
\(\tan60^\circ=\sqrt{3}\), so \(\theta=60^\circ\)
