What is the altitude of an airplane flying around the equator that travels 24,936 miles in an entire orbit, given that the circumference of the Earth at the equator is 24,901 miles?

To find the altitude of the airplane, we start by determining the difference between the distance it traveled and the circumference of the Earth.

The airplane travels 24,936 miles, while the circumference of the Earth at the equator is 24,901 miles.

We can calculate the difference:

Distance traveled by airplane – Circumference of the Earth = Altitude

24,936 miles – 24,901 miles = 35 miles

So, the altitude of the airplane is 35 miles.

This means that the airplane is flying at a height where the distance it travels around the Earth’s equator exceeds the Earth’s circumference due to its elevation above the surface.