If the length of the shadow on the ground of a pole is 3\sqrt{3} times the height of the pole, then the angle of elevation of the Sun is :

Answer: The angle of elevation of the Sun is 30∘30^\circ.

Step-by-step solution

Step 1: Define variables and set up the problem

Let hh represent the height of the pole and ss represent the length of its shadow on the ground. According to the problem statement, the length of the shadow is 3\sqrt{3} times the height of the pole, which can be written as s=3hs = \sqrt{3}h.

Step 2: Formulate the trigonometric relationship

The pole, its shadow, and the line of sight from the top of the pole to the end of the shadow form a right-angled triangle. The angle of elevation, θ\theta, is the angle between the ground (shadow) and the line of sight. In this triangle, the height of the pole (hh) is the side opposite to θ\theta, and the length of the shadow (ss) is the side adjacent to θ\theta. Therefore, we can use the tangent function.

Step 3: Substitute the given relationship into the tangent equation

Now, substitute the given relationship s=3hs = \sqrt{3}h into the tangent equation. This will allow us to simplify the expression and find the value of tan⁡θ\tan \theta.

Step 4: Simplify and find the angle of elevation

After substituting, the hh terms cancel out, leaving tan⁡θ=13\tan \theta = \frac{1}{\sqrt{3}}. We know that the angle whose tangent is 13\frac{1}{\sqrt{3}} is 30∘30^\circ. Therefore, the angle of elevation of the Sun is 30∘30^\circ.

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