Problem
A boat is heading towards a lighthouse, whose beacon-light is 113 feet above the water. The boat's crew measures the angle of elevation to the beacon, \( 15^{\circ} \). What is the ship's horizontal distance from the lighthouse (and the shore)? Round your answer to the nearest tenth of a foot if necessary.
Solution
Step 1 ：\( \tan{15^{\circ}} = \frac{113}{x} \)
Step 2 ：\( x = \frac{113}{\tan{15^{\circ}}} \)
Step 3 ：\( x \approx 403.4 \)
