Where the string crosses the protractor (0–180°). We'll convert it.
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The Big Idea
We can't measure how high a rocket flew with a giant ruler — but we CAN measure it using a triangle! If you know how far away you're standing and the angle you have to tilt your head back to see the rocket, math can tell you how high it went.
How to Use the Clinometer
Stand at the spot where you measured the distance from the launch pad.
Hold the dowel up to your eye like a telescope.
When the rocket reaches its highest point, FREEZE — keep the dowel pointed right at it.
The string and weight will hang straight down because of gravity.
Look at where the string crosses the protractor. That's your angle!
Tell the calculator your number and it'll figure out the altitude.
Why It Works
You, the launch pad, and the rocket make a triangle in the sky.
You and the rocket and the launch pad make a giant triangle in the sky.
One side of the triangle is the ground between you and the pad — you measured that.
The other side is how high the rocket went — that's what we want to know.
The angle between them is what your clinometer measures.
A rule called tangent from trigonometry connects the angle to the height — it's the same trick people use to measure how tall a tree or mountain is without climbing it!