22

22
22.1 Angles
Heights and Distances

of elevation and depression

Let AB be a tower (or pillar or minar, etc.) standing
on a level ground and a man, standing at any point
C JouoIs
on the level ground, is viewing an object at A.
The line CA. joining his eye to the object, is called
the line of sight.
The angle. which the line of sight makes with the
horizontal is called the angle of elevation.
C
Horizontal De
In the given figure: angle ACB is the angle of
elevation. Horizontal
Similarly. if the man is at A and is viewing an D --------

Angle of
C on the level ground, then the angle, which the depression
object
line of sight (AC) makes with horizontal, is called the
angle of depression.

In the given figure; angle DAC is angle of depression.

Angle of elevation of point A as seen from point C is
equal to the angle of depression of point C as seen Angle of
from point A. ie., LACB DAC elevation
=

C Horizontal B

1 The length of the shadow of a vertical tower is v3 times its

angle of elevation of the sun. height. Find the

Solution
Let the height of the tower bexm
Length of its shadow = v3 xm
m
If e is the angle of elevation of the sun, then

tan 3x tan tan 30 3 x m

= 30°
Ans.

2 The angle of elevation of the top of a tower at a distance of 120 m from its
foot on a horizontal plane is found to be 30. Find the height of the tower.

334
Solution :

et AB be the tower and

C be the
BC 120 m point of observation
Since, angle of elevation is 30°
ZACB = 30°
AB 3 0

In A ABC, 0 tan 30° 120 m

1
AB
120 x 69-28 m Ans.
A guard observes an
enemy boat, from
above
an observation tower at a height of
180 m sea level, to be at an angle of depression of 29°.
() Calculate, to the nearest
metre, the distance of the boat from the
the observation tower. foot of
(i) After some time, it is observed that the boat
is 200 m from the foot of the
observation tower. Calculate the new angle of
depression.
Solution:
) Let P be the boat and AB be the observation tower. In right triangle ABP,
AB
tan 29° =
PB 29
180
0-5543 =

PB
180 P 29
325 m (App.) Ans.
PB 0.5543
Alternative Method:
61°
In A ABP, ZAPB + ZPAB = 90° ZPAB =90° 29° =

BP
tan 61°
AB Ans.
180 x 1-804 = 325 m (App.)
BP = 180 x tan 61° =

angle of depression
boat and 0 be the
new

(1) Let Q be the new position of the

AB
tan QB
180 .........
= 0-9000
200 B
t a n 41° 59' 200 m
Ans.
41°59'

side of a tower
in a straight line with it
same
the
standing on and 50
4 Two people of the top of the tower as 25
of elevation between the
the angles is 0 m, find the distance
measure
height of the tower
respectively. If the

two people.
335
 Solution:
According to the given statement, the figur
will be as shown alongside in which PQ is the
E
tower so PQ = 70 m; andA and B be the
50°
25°
positions of two people, such that PAQ
=

25
and PBQ = 50°
PQ
In APAQ. tan 25 AQ
Q =0.4663 m =150-118 m

0-4663 iAQe . AQ
In A PBO. tan 50°
PQ
BQ
70 58-735 m
1-1918
70 ie. BQ 1-1918
=
m =

BQ
The distance between the two people
AB AQ BQ
58-735) m
=(150-118 Ans.
= 91-38 m

Alternative method:

In A PAQ, LA = 25 65X
40°
90° 25° = 65°
LAPQ =

50
AQ 25
tan 65 PO

i.e. 2-1445 AQ AQ =2.1445 x 70 m = 150-115 m

70
In A PBQ PBQ = 50° ZBPQ = 90° -

50 = 40°

BQ
tan 40° =
PQ
BQ 0-8391 70 58-737
ie. 0-8391= 70
0-8391 =
BQ = x m = m

The distance between the two people

AB = AQ - BQ =(150-115 58-737) m =9138 m Ans.

EXERCISE 22(A)
that 1s
1. The height of a tree is 3 times the length 3. A ladder is placed along a wall such
of its shadow. Find the angle of elevation of upper end is resting against a vertical wall. Te
and
foot of the ladder is 2-4 m from the wall
the sun. the ladder is making an angle of 68° with toe
2. The angle of elevation of the top of a tower, laddet
from a point on the ground and at a distance ground. Find the height, upto which the
of 160 m from its foot, is found to be 60°. reaches.
sides
Find the height of the tower. 4. Iwo persons are standing on the opposile

336
 tower. They observe the
a

tion of the angles of

eleva top of the tower tower is 45 m. Calculate
to be
and 38°
30° respectively. Find the
distance
1) the height of the tower,
een them, if the height of the
between
(11) the length of the shadow of the same
tower is
50 m. tower, when the sun's altitude is
Is attached to a (a) 45 (b) 60°
5, A kite string. Find the
of the string wh the height of the length 10. Two vertical
poles are on either side of a road.
kite is A 30 m
60 m and the string makes an
angle 30° with long ladder is placed between the two
the ground. poles. When the ladder rests against one pole,
it makes
angle 32°24' with the pole and when
A boy, tall, is 20 m away from a
16 m it is turned to rest
tower against another pole, it
and
the
observes
angle of elevation of the top makes angle 32°24' with the road.
Calculate
or
the tower to be (i) 45° (ii) 60°. Find the the width of the road.
of the tower in each case. 11. Two climbers are at
height points A and B on a
7 The upper part ot a tree, broken over by the vertical cliff face. To an observer C, 40 m
an angle of45° with the from the foot of the cliff, on the level
wind. makes ground; ground,
A is at an elevation of 48° and B of 57. What
and the distance from the root to the point
where the top of the tree touches the ground, is the distance between the climbers ?
i 15 m. What was the height of the tree 12. A man stands 9 m away from a flag-pole. He
broken? observes that angle of elevation of the top of
beforeit was

of elevation of the the pole is 28° and the angle of depression of

R. The angle top of an
at a distance of
the bottom of the pole is 13°. Calculate the
unfinished point
tower from a
R0 m from its base is 30°. How much higher height of the pole.
be raised so that its angle of 13. From the top of a cliff 92 m high. the angle
must the tower
the same point may be 60° ? of depression of a buoy is 20°. Calculate,
elevation at
to the nearest metre, the distance of the buoy
altitudei
9. At particular time, when the sun's
a from the foot of the cliff.
shadow of a vertical
30°, the length of the

level ground increases by

of the shadow of a vertical tower on
length
5 The
30°. Calculate the
sun changes from 45° to
10 m, when the altitude of the
to two decimal places.
height of the tower, correct

Solution
shadow when the
Let AB be the tower. BC be its
sun's altitude is 45°, ie. LACB =
45°.
to 30°, the length
When the sun's altitude changes
of the shadow is BD and ZADB
= 30°
30 D
Clearly, DC =10 m. B
C10 m-
In triangle ABC,
AB AB BC A B
tan45 = 1 BC
BC
In triangle ABD,
AB
AB BD =AB 3
tan 30 =

BD
BD 3 BD

Since BD B C = DC BC AB and BD
=
AB /3
(:
10
AB3-AB =

337
 (w002) HO
-I
1
 .CD = 12x m

and DB = txm
Since, distance = time x speedj
In
In A
A ABD,
ABD, tan 45 =
1
h =tx
h 458
In AACB. 12x+ tan 30°
tx

(12+ 1) x 3 (Since h = tx)

30 45°
3= 12 + C* 12x
D
X - B

3 = 12
12
t(3 1) = 12 t=
1639 minutes Ans.
The angle of elevation of a stationary cloud from a point 25 m above a lake is
30° and the angle of depression of its reflection in the lake is 60°. What is
the height of the cloud above that lake-level ?

Solution

Let AB be the surface of the lake, P be the

point of observation which is 25 m above the P R 3 0
h

lake ie. PQ= 25 m.

25 m
If C be the cloud and D be its reflection in
the lake then according to the properties of
reflection, the height of cloud C above the lake
level is equal to the depth of its image D below
the lake level i.e. CF = DF = h m (let)

As is clear from the figure,.2CPE = 30°

DPE = 60°, CE =CF(h 25) m

-

EF = -

and,
DE = DF +EF = (h 25) m
CE In A CPE]
Clearly. tan 30 PE
and PE= 3 h - 25)
A

DE [In A DPE]
And, tan 60 PE
)
2 5 and PE
PE
From I and II, we have
25) = h + 25
i.e. 3(h -

V3(h 25)
=

75 =h +25 ie. h =50

3h lake-level r = 50 m Ans.
above the
*
he height of the cloud
339
 of a vertical
elevation
of the top
From a
point on the
ne ground, the angle
of
towards the
walking 50
m

its tangent
is.On the tower is
O be such that of elevation
of the top of
e
tangent of the new angle

4
tound to b e . Find the height of the tower.

Solution
Let AB be the tower whose height is h m. P
be the first point of observation such that if the
h m

angle of elevation of the top of the tower at

P a m
point P is o; then tan a = 50 m 2

on moving
50 m towards the tower
other point of observation obtained
be the at point Q is
Le the top of the tower
e . PQ= S0 m) such that if the angle of elevation of

B: then tan ß =
Assume BQ to be x m.

In A APB; tan PB 5 r + 50
Sh = 3x + 150

tan AB
In A AQB; tan B
f QB =
5h =4x
On solving I and II, we get : h = 120

The height of the tower = 120 m Ans.

10 A vertical pole and a vertical tower are on the same level ground. From the top
of the pole the angle of elevation of the top of the tower is 60° and the angle
of depression of the foot of the tower is 30°. Find the height of the tower if
the height of the pole is 20 m.

Solution
According to the given statement, the diagram will be as shown on the next page
where BC is the pole and AE is the tower

Clearly, BC = 20 m =
DE, ZABD = 60° and EBD = 30°
Let AD = x m and so AE = (x + 20) mn

In right-angled A ABD,
AD
tan 60° == BD 3 BD
BD=

In right-angled A EBD
DE
tan 30° ==
BD

20
BD
340
 BD 203
...I
From equations I and I1, we get
V20
X = 60

.Height of the
tower =AE B
60°

..D
=
(x + 20)m 30°
=
(60 + 20) m 20 m 20 m

80 m Ans.

EXERCISE 22(B)
1. In the ure, given below, it is given that AB is
erpendicular to BD and is of
DC
length X
30 m, ZADB = 30° and 2ACB = 45°,
metres.
D 220
Without using tables, find X.

X CL47o
DB
15 n

30° 45 7. The angle of elevation of the top of a tower

D 30 m C i sobserved to be 60°. At a point, 30 m
2. Find the height of a tree when it is found that
on walking away from it 20 m, in a horizontal
line through its base, the elevation of its top
changes from 60° to 30°.
3. Find the height of a building, when it is found
that on walking towards it 40 m in a horizontal
line through its base the angular elevation of
its top changes from 30° to 45°.
4. From the top of a light house 100 m high, the
angles of depression of two ships are observed
as 48 and 36° respectively. Find the distance
between the two ships (in the nearest metre)
if
0) the ships are on the same side of the light
house,
(u) the ships are on the opposite
light house.
Wo pillars of equal heights stand on either
Side of a roadway, which is 150 m wide. At a
point in the roadway between the pillars the
elevations of the tops of the pillars are 60 ana
30, find the height of the pillars and the
position of the
6.Fmthe figure,point.
given below, calculate the
length of CD.
vertically above the first point of observation,
the elevation is found to be 45°. Find
i) the height of the tower,
(i) its horizontal distance from the points of
observation.
8. From the top of a clhiff, 60 metres high, the
angles of depression of the top and bottom of
a tower are observed to be 30° and 60°. Find
the height of the tower
9. A man on a cliff observes a boat, at an angle
of depression 30°, which is sailing towards the
shore to the point immediately beneath him,
Three minutes later, the angle of depression of
the boat is found to be 60°. Assuming that the
boat sails at a uniform speed, determine*
time it will take to reach
(i) how much more
the shore?
sides of the (ii) the speed of the boat in metre per second,
[2010 if the height of the cliff is 500 m.
(o. A man in a boat rowing away from a lighthouse
50 m high, takes 2 minutes to change the angle
of elevation of the top of the lighthouse from
60° to 45°. Find the speed of the boat.
11. A person standing on the bank of a river
observes that the angle of elevation of the top
of a tree standing on the opposite bank is 60°
341
 When he moves 40 m away from the bank, when it was 45°. Prove that the height of the
he finds the angle of elevation to be 30° tower is y 3 + 1) metres.
Find: 14. An aeroplane flying horizontally 1 km
above
(i) the height of the tree, correct to 2 th ground and going away from the observer
decimal places is observed at an elevation of 60°. After
10
(ii) the width of the river. seconds, its elevation is observed to be 30
find the uniform speed of the aeroplane in
12. The horizontal distance between two towers km
is 75 m and the angular depression of the top per hour.
15. Prom the top of a hill, the angles of depression
of the first tower as seen from the top of the
which is 16001 high, is 45°. Find the of two consecutive kilometre stones, due east
second, are found to be 30° and 45°
height of the first tower respectively. Find
standing the distances of the two stones from the foot
13. The length of the shadow of a tower
of the hil1
be 2y
bn level plane is found to metres

longer when the sun's altitude is 30° than

EXERCISE 22(C)
1. Find AD. calculate
) the length of AB;
)
(ii) the distance of AB from the centre C.
32 E
6. At a point on level ground, the angle of
C
elevation of a vertical tower is found to be such
2 0 m-
that its tangent is On walking 192 metres
12
30
m towards the tower; the tangent of the angle is
)
found to be. Find the height of the tower.
48°
D vertical tower stands on horizontal plane and
7.. a vertical flagstaff of height
2. In the following diagram, A is surmounted by
AB is a floor-board; h metre. At a point on the plane, the angle of
PQRS is a cubical box elevation of the bottom of the flagstaff is a
with each edge = 1m and that of the top of flagstaff is B. Prove that
and B = 60°. Calculate the height of the tower is
the length of the board h tan a
AB. tan ß- tan a
60|
8. With reference to the given
S
figure, a man stands on the

3. Calcylate BC. ground at point A,

42 which is on the
same horizontal D

plane as B, the foot

of the vertical pole B
35 A
BC. The height of
B
the pole is 10 m. The man's eye is
2 m above
elevation
4. Calculate AB. the ground. He observes the angle of
6m 47 of C, the top of the pole, as x°,
where tan

in
30° - Calculate:) the distance AB
.
of
metres; (i) angle of elevation of the top the
tne
5. The radius of a circle is given as 15 cm and from
pole when he is standing 15 metres
chord AB subtends an angle of 131° at the nearest degrec
pole. Give your answer to the
centre C of the circle. Using trigonometry,

342
 The angles of elevation of the top of a tower the
16. A man observes the angle of elevation of
from two points on the ground at distances a towards
top of a building to be 30°. He walks
and b metres from the base of the tower and it in a horizontal line through its base.
On
in the same straight line with it are 60 m, the angle of elevation changes
covering
complementary. Prove that the height of the to 60°. Find the height of the building correct

is vab metre. to the nearest metre.

tower

10 m above the ground the 17. As observed from the top of a 80 m tall
a window A.,
10.
of elevation of the top C of a lighthouse, the angles of depression of two
angle
5 ships, on the same side of the light house in
is x, where tan x° and horizontal line with its base, are 30° and 40°
=

tower

the angle
of depression of respectively. Find the distance between the two
D of the
ships. Give your answer correct to the nearest
the foot
is . where metre. [2012)
tower
1 18. In the given figure, A
tan = (See A from the top of a
4 30
the given figure). building AB = 60 m 60
Calculate the height B D high, the angles of
in metres. depression of the top
CD of the
tower

and bottom of a vertical

is 20 m high. A man standing
11. A vertical
tower
lamp post CD are
at some
distance from the tower knows that the
observed to be 30° and
elevation of the top of
cosine of the angle of 60° respectively. Find :
0-53. How far is he standing from
the tower is (i) the horizontal B
the foot of the tower ?
distance between
12. A man standing
on the bank of a river observes AB and CD
that the angle of elevation of a tree on the (ii) the height of the lamp post.
60°. When he moves 50 m away
opposite bank is 19. An aeroplane, at an altitude of 250 m.
from the bank, he finds the angle of elevation to observes the angles of depression of two boats
be 30°. Calculate ) the width of the river and on the opposite banks of a river to be 45° and
(i) the height of the tree. 60° respectively. Find the width of the river.
13. A 20 m high vertical pole and a vertical tower Write the answer correct to the nearest whole
are on the same level ground in such a wayy
number. 2014]
that the angle of elevation of the top of the
ower, as seen from the foot of the pole, is 60° 20. The horizontal A
and the angle of elevation of the top of distance betweenn
the pole as seen from the foot of the tower two towers is 120
is 30°. Find ( i ) the height of the tower. m. The angle of
() the horizontal distance between the pole elevation of the top
and the tower. and angle of

4.A vertical pole and a vertical tower are on the depression of thhe
bottom of the first
Sane level ground in such a way that from the
tower as observed
the
op of
op of
pole the angle of elevation of the
the tower is 60° and the angle of from the top of the B D

Epression of the bottom of the tower is 30. second tower is 30° and 24° respectively. Find
Find: (i) the the height of the two towers. Give your answer
or
height of the tower, if the height correct to 3 significant figures. [2015]
the pole is 20 m;
(ii) the height of the
pole, if the height of the tower is 75 m. 21. The angles of depression of two ships A and
15. From a B as observed from the top of a light house
point, 36 m above the surface of a
ake, the angle of elevation of a bird is 60 m high, are 60° and 45° respectively. If the
two ships are on the opposite sides of the light
bserved to be 30° and angle of depression or house, find the distance between the two ships.
mage in the water of the lake is observed
to be Give your answer correct to the nearest whole
60°. Find the actual height of the bird
above the number. 2017]
surface of the lake.

343