A tower is 42 m away from an observation point. The angle of elevation to the top of the tower from the observation point is 36 degrees. What is the height of the tower?

• The angle of elevation ($\theta$) is $36^\circ$. (Assuming "360" is a typo and should be $36^\circ$, as $360^\circ$ would imply the point is directly above the base, not $42 \text{ m}$ away).
• The distance from the base of the tower (adjacent side) is $42 \text{ m}$.
• The height of the tower (opposite side) is $h$.

The tangent function relates the opposite side, the adjacent side, and the angle:

Multiply both sides by 42:

Using a calculator for $\tan(36^\circ)$:

The height of the tower is: