Trigonometry

A tower subtends an angle $\alpha$ on the same level as the foot of the tower and at a second point $h$ meters above the first, the depression of the foot of the tower is $\beta$. Show that the height of the tower is $h \tan \alpha \cot \beta$.


In the figure,

$AT = $ tower of height $H$

$B = $ a point on the same level as the foot of the tower at a distance $x$ from $A$

$C = $ a point $h$ meters above $B$

From the figure,

in $\triangle ATB$, $\;$ $\tan \alpha = \dfrac{AT}{AB} = \dfrac{H}{x}$

in $\triangle ACB$, $\;$ $\tan \beta = \dfrac{BC}{AB} = \dfrac{h}{x}$

$\therefore \;$ $\dfrac{\tan \alpha}{\tan \beta} = \dfrac{H / x}{h / x} = \dfrac{H}{h}$

i.e. $\;$ $H = \dfrac{\tan \alpha}{\tan \beta} \times h$

i.e. $\;$ $H = h \tan \alpha \cot \beta$