Coast Guard Exams
Question 72Navigation General70% to pass

The Light List indicates that a light has a nominal range of 14 miles and is 42 feet high (12.8 meters). If the visibility is 6 miles and your height of eye is 20 feet (6.1 meters), at what approximate distance will you sight the light?

AI Explanation
The correct answer is B) 10.0 miles. The formula to calculate the distance at which a light can be sighted is: Distance to Horizon (in nautical miles) = 1.17 x √(height of eye in feet) + 1.17 x √(height of light in feet) Plugging in the values given: Distance to Horizon = 1.17 x √(20 ft) + 1.17 x √(42 ft) = 5.2 miles + 4.8 miles = 10.0 miles The other options are incorrect because: A) 20.1 miles is too far, as the visibility is only 6 miles. C) 7.6 miles is too close, as the calculated distance is 10.0 miles. D) 6.0 miles is too close, as the calculated distance is 10.0 miles.

Ready to test your knowledge?