Due to the curvature of the earth, the maximum distance D that you can see from the top of a tall building of height h is estimated by the formula $D = \sqrt { 2 r h + h ^ { 2 } }$ where r = 3960 mi is the radius of the earth and D and h are also measured in miles. How far can you see from the observation deck of a tower, 955 ft above the ground? Round the answer to one decimal place.

Question

Due to the curvature of the earth, the maximum distance D that you can see from the top of a tall building of height h is estimated by the formula $D = \sqrt { 2 r h + h ^ { 2 } }$  where r = 3960 mi is the radius of the earth and D and h are also measured in miles. How far can you see from the observation deck of a tower, 955 ft above the ground? Round the answer to one decimal place.

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The Answer is 37.8 mi

Due to the Curvature of the Earth, the Maximum Distance D=2rh+h2D = \sqrt { 2 r h + h ^ { 2 } }D=2rh+h2​

Due to the Curvature of the Earth, the Maximum Distance $D = \sqrt { 2 r h + h ^ { 2 } }$