If the height of a pole is \(8\sqrt{3}\) meters and the length of its shadow is 8 meters, then the angle of elevation of the sun is:
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 triangle. The angle of elevation \(\theta\) of the sun is at the tip of the shadow, where \(\tan\theta=\frac{\text{height of the pole}}{\text{length of the shadow}}\).
\(\displaystyle \tan\theta=\frac{8\sqrt{3}}{8}=\sqrt{3}\)
\(\tan60^\circ=\sqrt{3}\), so \(\theta=60^\circ\)