15 Sitting in Rutgers stadium Josh notices a blimp straight

15. Sitting in Rutgers stadium, Josh notices a blimp straight ahead and above him at an angle of elevation of 58^o. Three minutes later, he notices the blimp is still straight ahead, but now at an angle of elevation of 48^o. If the blimp maintained an altitude of 2000 feet, how far did the blimp travel in those three minutes?

Solution

let x be distance from josh to first blimp and y is distance from josh to 2nd blimp

tan 58 = 2000/x

x = 2000/ tan 58

x = 1249.73

tan 48 = 2000/ y

y = 2000/ tan 48

y = 1800.80

so blimp travel 1800.80 - 1249.73 = 551.07 feet in 3 minutes