A pilot is asked to approach the airport at an 6° angle of descent. If the plane is travelling at an altitude of 27000 ft, at what horizontal distance from the airport should the descent begin? Give your answer to the nearest foot.

Your Answer:

Tan A = h/d.

Tan 6 = 27,000/d, d = ?.

7629

To find the horizontal distance from the airport at which the descent should begin, we can use trigonometry.

First, let's define the problem. We have an angle of descent of 6° and an altitude of 27000 ft. We need to find the horizontal distance.

Now, let's break down the problem. The angle of descent forms a right triangle with the altitude and the horizontal distance. The altitude is the opposite side of the triangle, and the horizontal distance is the adjacent side of the triangle.

To find the adjacent side (horizontal distance), we can use the tangent function, which is defined as the ratio of the opposite side to the adjacent side in a right triangle.

So, the formula for finding the horizontal distance, x, is:
tan(6°) = 27000 ft / x

To solve for x, we can rearrange the formula:
x = 27000 ft / tan(6°)

Let's calculate the value using a calculator.

Using a scientific calculator or an online calculator, we find:
x ≈ 27000 ft / tan(6°) ≈ 271428 ft.

Therefore, the horizontal distance from the airport at which the descent should begin is approximately 271428 ft.