A 1.5-m-tall boy is standing at some distance from a 30-m-tall building. The angle of elevation from his eyes to the top of the building increases from 30∘ to 60∘ as he walks towards the building. Find the distance he walked towards the building.
19√3 m
Let AB be the building and let CD and EF be the two positions of the boy. Draw DFG∥CEA. Then,
CD = EF = 1.5 m, ∠GDB=30∘ and ∠GFB=60∘,
AB = 30 m, GB = 30 m - 1.5 m = 28.5 m
From right ΔDGB, we have
DGGB=cot 30∘⇒DG28.5 m=√3⇒DG=57√32 m
From right ΔFGB, we have
FGGB=cot 60∘⇒FG28.5 m=1√3⇒FG=572√3 m
∴DF=DG−FG=(57√32−572√3)m=(171−572√3)m
=1142√3m=57√3m=57√3×√3√3m=19√3 m
Hence, the required distance is 19√3 m