A plane is flying at an altitude of 10,000 feet begins to descending when the end of the runway is below a point 60,000 feet away. Find the angle of descent (depression) to the nearest degree.

The angle of descent is 81°

Step-by-step explanation:

We have to think of the problem as a right triangle where the height of the plane is the leg adjacent to the angle of descent and the distance from the ground is the opposite leg

well to start we have to know the relationship between angles, legs and the hypotenuse in a right triangle

α = ?

a: adjacent  = 10,000ft

o: opposite  = 60,000

h: hypotenuse

sin α = o/h

cos α = a/h

tan α = o/a

we see that it has (angle, adjacent, opposite)

is the tangent

tan α = o/a

tan α = 60,000/10,000

tan α = 6

α = tan^-1(6)

α = 80.5377

if we want to round to the nearest degree

α = 80.5377° = 81°

The angle of descent is 81°