Angle of Elevation Calculator
Find the angle of elevation from horizontal distance and height above eye level.
About Angle of Elevation Calculator
The angle of elevation is the angle between the horizontal and the line of sight looking upward to an object. It is found using tan(θ) = opposite/adjacent = height/distance.
Formula
Angle of Elevation
θ = arctan(height / distance)
- h
- Height above eye level
- d
- Horizontal distance
Worked example
With the default values below, Angle of Elevation Calculator returns Angle of Elevation of 26.5651. Change any input above and every figure here is recalculated in your browser.
Inputs used
- Height above eye levelminimum 0
- 50
- Horizontal distanceminimum 0.001
- 100
Results
- Angle of Elevation
- 26.5651 °
- Line-of-sight distance
- 111.8034
Step by step
- 1Apply arctan= 26.56505118°
- 2Line-of-sight distance= 111.80339887
Assumptions and limits
- The result is derived only from the 2 inputs listed above. Anything not among them is not part of the calculation.
- In particular, this calculator does not take inflation, tax, fees or charges or compounding frequency into account.
- Figures are rounded for display to 4 decimal places, so totals built from several rounded parts can differ slightly from the unrounded arithmetic.
How these calculators are built and tested is described on the Methodology page. If a figure looks wrong, please report it.
Frequently Asked Questions
When do you use angle of elevation?
Whenever you look UP from horizontal — measuring building heights, incline of a ramp, spotting aircraft, etc.
How is elevation different from depression?
Elevation looks up from horizontal; depression looks down from horizontal. They use the same formula but with height above or below eye level.