Two planes are flying at the height of 10km They are going a

Two planes are flying at the height of 10-km. They are going at the same speed, and both traveling due north. If the planes are 3,000 km apart as measured along the urface of the earth, what angle do the lines from th eplanes make to the center of the earth make?

Solution

Here if we form a right triangle, showning this situation, its base is 10 km, its height as the distance between two planes is 3000 km, and its base and hypotenues are the line that make an angle at center of earth and we need this angle here.

Thus using the formula that

tan A= height/base = 3000/10 = 300

or A= arctan (300) = 89.8

so exact angle do the lines from the planes make at the center of the earth is 89.8 degree.

Answer