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18 3-D Geometry: 18.1 Using Pythagoras' Theorem and Trigonometry in Three Dimensions
18 3-D Geometry: 18.1 Using Pythagoras' Theorem and Trigonometry in Three Dimensions
18 3-D Geometry
18.1 Using Pythagoras' Theorem and
Trigonometry in Three Dimensions
Pythagoras' theorem and the trigonometry used in earlier units can be applied in three
dimensional problems. The main technique is to reduce the problem to a two dimensional
situation by identifying suitable triangles to work with. The standard results can then be
applied to these triangles.
H G
Worked Example 1
A box has the dimensions shown E F
60 cm
in the diagram. A game is to be
packed into this box. Part of the
game is a rod that will just fit into D
C
the box. Find the length of this rod.
80 cm
A 40 cm B
Solution
The longest rod that can fit into the box will have one end at A and the other at G, or lie
along a similar diagonal. The problem is to find the length AG.
The first stage is to find the length of AC, the diagonal in the base directly below AG.
= 40 2 + 80 2
40 cm
= 8000
= AC = 8000 cm
B C
80 cm
= 8000 + 60 2
60 cm
= 11 600
AG = 11 600
≈ 107.7 cm A C
8000 cm
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MEP Pupil Text 18
Worked Example 2
A pyramid is made up of a square and four equilateral triangles with sides of length
10 cm. Find the height of the pyramid.
E
Solution
The point X marked on the diagram is at the centre of A B
the base directly below E.
The distance XE is the required height. X
D C
AC 2 = AB2 + BC 2
10 cm
A B
= 10 + 10
2 2
= 200
10 cm
X
AC = 200
D C
1
AX = AC
2
200
=
2
4 × 50 2 × 50
= =
2 2
= 50
AE 2 = AX 2 + XE 2 E
10 2 = 50 + XE 2
10 cm
XE 2 = 100 − 50
= 50
XE = 50 A X
50 cm
≈ 7.07 cm
B
Worked Example 3
A carpenter is to cut an isosceles triangle out of a O
sheet of wood. The triangle is to fit into a corner A C
as shown in the diagram.
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MEP Pupil Text 18
18.1
Solution
First find the lengths AC and AB.
From the triangle OAB. B
AB2 = AO 2 + OB2
20 cm
= 52 + 20 2
= 42.5
A 5 cm O
AB = 425
AC 2 = OA 2 + OC 2 A O
= 52 + 52
= 50
C
AC = 50
1
AM = AC
2
50
=
2
= 12.5
θ
Then using trigonometry: A M C
AM
cosθ =
AB
12.5
=
425
so
θ ≈ 80.1°
ˆ = 80.1°
So BAC
ˆ = BAC
As it is an isosceles triangle ACB ˆ
= 80.1°
ˆ = 180 − (80.1 + 80.1)
Finally, ACB
= 19.8°
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MEP Pupil Text 18
Exercises
1. Find the length of the longest rod that could be placed in each box shown below.
(a) (b)
5 cm 20 cm
4 cm
50 cm
2 cm
60 cm
(c) (d)
20 cm
x
x
50 cm x
12 cm
(e) (f)
z
x
x
y
2x x
(a) ˆ = 90°
ABC
4m
A B
(b) ˆ = 120°
ABC
4m
C
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MEP Pupil Text 18
18.1
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MEP Pupil Text 18
9. Isosceles triangles with sides of lengths 12 cm, 12 cm and 8 cm are used to form a
square-based pyramid and a tetrahedron.
For each shape find:
(a) the height,
(b) the angle between the slanting edges and the vertical.
10.
D
Diagram NOT
accurately drawn
A
B M C
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MEP Pupil Text 18
18.2
When finding the angle between two planes it is important to consider where the planes
intersect and the line that this forms. The angle between the two planes is equal to the angle
between lines in each plane that are perpendicular to the line formed by the intersection.
Worked Example 1
F 5m E
The diagram shows a wedge.
Find the angles between: 2m
(a) the line BE at the plane ABCD,
D
(b) the line BF and the plane ABCD, C
(c) planes ABCD and the plane ABEF, 4m
A B
(d) the lines BD and BE.
Solution
(a) Consider the triangle BCE. E
The angle between the line and the plane
has been labelled θ on the diagram. 2m
2
tan θ = θ
4 B 4m C
θ ≈ 26.6°
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MEP Pupil Text 18
(b) The required angle can be found from the triangle BDF because the line BD is
directly below BF. This is labelled α on the diagram.
The length BD can be found by
considering the base of the wedge. F
BD 2 = 4 2 + 52 2m
= 41
α
BD = 41 B D
(c) The angle between the planes ABCD and ABEF is the same as CBE ˆ .
ˆ and DAF
DE 2 = 52 + 2 2
= 29
DE = 29
Using the cosine rule, because BDE is not a right angled triangle, gives,
BD 2 + BE 2 − DE 2
cos β =
2 × BD × BE
41 + 20 − 29
=
2 × 41 × 20
32
=
2 820
β ≈ 56.0°
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MEP Pupil Text 18
18.2
Worked Example 2
A regular square base pyramid has a base with side of length 4 cm and height 10 cm.
Find
(a) the angle between a face and the base,
(b) the length of a sloping edge,
(c) the angle between an edge and the base.
E
Solution
The diagram shows the pyramid.
(a) To find the angle between a face
and the base introduce the points
M, the mid point of AB and O, a
D C
point directly below E.
O 4 cm
M
A 4 cm B
θ
M 2 cm O
AC 2 = AB2 + BC 2
10 cm
= 42 + 42
= 32
AC = 32
A O
1
AO = AC
2
1
= 32
2
= 8
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MEP Pupil Text 18
AE 2 = AO 2 + DE 2
= 8 + 10 2
= 108
AE = 108
≈ 10.4 cm
E
(c) The angle between the edge AE and the base is given
by OAEˆ because the line OA is directly below AE.
10 cm
Using the triangle AOE gives:
10
tan θ = θ
8 A O
θ ≈ 74.2°
Exercises
1. The diagram shows a cuboid.
H G
E F
3 cm
D
C
6 cm
A 2 cm B
E F
4 cm D
C
A B
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MEP Pupil Text 18
18.2
3. The diagram shows a prism which has a cross section that is an equilateral triangle
with sides of length 5 cm. The length of the prism is 10 cm.
D
A
F E
C B
4. F E
D
C
4
A B
6
5. A regular square-based pyramid has height 10 cm and the sides of its base are 4
cm. Find:
(a) the slant height of the pyramid,
(b) the angle between an edge and the base,
(c) the angle between a face and the base.
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MEP Pupil Text 18
6. A pyramid has height 12 cm and base with sides of length 4 cm and 6 cm. Find the
angle between each triangular face and the base.
H
7.
G
E 1.5 m
F D
C
2m
3m
A 2m B
The diagram shows the dimensions of a garden shed and a long pole that just fits
into the shed diagonally from B to H.
Find the angle between:
(a) the pole and the floor,
(b) the pole and the wall ADHE,
(c) the pole and the line EH,
(d) the pole and the line AB.
8. A pyramid has height of 6 cm and its base is a regular hexagon with sides of length
3 cm. Find the angle between each face and the base and the angle between each
sloping edge and the base.
2m H
G
x
D 2m C
2
Show that cos θ = and find x if θ = 60° .
8 + 2x2
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