What are some methods to determine the height of a towering structure?

Different approaches can be applied to measure the height of a tower depending on its setting. These same techniques can be adapted to measure other objects like trees, mountains, or tall buildings. Below are three of the most popular methods.

If the tower is positioned in a flat field, the simplest method is often to use its shadow on a sunny day. For this, you'll need a broomstick, a hammer, and a measuring tape. Drive the broomstick into the ground to stand up on its own. If you have time, wait for the shadow of the broomstick to match its own height, then measure the length of the tower's shadow. This length will directly tell you the height of the tower. If you're in a hurry, you can:

For the second method, you will need a drinking straw, a protractor, some scotch tape, and a measuring tape. Attach the straw to the protractor at the 45-degree angle mark using tape. Hold the protractor flat against the horizon, and look through the straw. Move away from the tower until you can see the top of the tower through the straw. Since you are viewing the tower at a 45-degree angle, the distance from you to the tower will be the same as the tower's height. Measure this distance, and you have the tower's height.

For the third method, gather a protractor, a drinking straw, a tape measure, and a calculator capable of trigonometric functions. Position yourself at a place where you can easily measure your distance from the tower. Look through the straw and find the top of the tower, then measure the angle between the straw and the horizon using the protractor. For example, if the angle is 55 degrees and the distance to the tower's base is 200 feet, you can use this equation:

So...

In this case, the tower's height is calculated to be 286 feet. Remember to factor in the height of the protractor when measuring the angle to determine the tower's full height.

Here’s an interesting link: