Angle of Elevation Calculator
Enter any two of horizontal distance, height and angle. We solve the third, show the line of sight and walk through the math.
Angle of elevation
—°
How it works
You, the object and the point straight below the object form a right triangle. The horizontal distance is the side next to the angle, the height is the side opposite it, and the line of sight is the hypotenuse. The tangent of the angle is opposite ÷ adjacent, which links all three. The line of sight follows from the Pythagorean theorem.
Example
A tree 50 ft taller than your eye level, seen from 100 ft away: tan θ = 50 ÷ 100 = 0.5, so θ ≈ 26.57°. The line of sight to the top is √(100² + 50²) ≈ 111.8 ft.
Related tools
Frequently asked questions
What is the angle of elevation?
The angle between the horizontal and your line of sight when you look up at something, such as the top of a tree or building.
How do I measure the height of a tree or building?
Stand a measured distance from its base, measure the angle up to the top (a phone clinometer app works), and solve for height. Then add your eye height, because the angle is measured from your eyes, not the ground.
What is the formula?
tan θ = height ÷ horizontal distance. So θ = arctan(height ÷ distance), height = distance × tan θ, and distance = height ÷ tan θ.
How is it different from the angle of depression?
Elevation is looking up from the horizontal; depression is looking down. For two points looking at each other, the two angles are equal.
Sources
Results are calculated from your inputs with the formulas shown on this page; no outside data is used.
How each number is produced: methodology and data sources.