Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics

Pre - Calculus
SY 2021 – 2022

Unit III: Trigonometry

Lesson 4.1.2: Angle of Elevation and Depression

Introduction

In the previous lesson, you have studied about trigonometric ratios. In this lesson, you will be
studying about some ways in which trigonometry is used in the life around you. Trigonometry is one of
the most ancient subjects studied by scholars all over the world. As we have said in lesson 4 of unit 3,
trigonometry was invented because its need arose in astronomy. Since then the astronomers have used it,
for instance, to calculate distances from the Earth to the planets and stars. Trigonometry is also used in
geography and in navigation. The knowledge of trigonometry is used to construct maps, determine the
position of an island in relation to the longitudes and latitudes.

Learning Objectives

After studying this completing this module with 80% to 100% accuracy, you are expected to:

a) Define angle of elevation and angle of depression;

b) Illustrate a given situation related to angle of elevation and angle of depression; and
c) Solve problems on angle of elevation and depression by applying the concept of
trigonometric functions.

Pre-Requisites Skills

Six Trigonometric Functions in Relation to a Right Triangle

𝑜𝑝𝑝𝑜𝑠𝑖𝑡𝑒 𝑜𝑝𝑝𝑜𝑠𝑖𝑡𝑒 ℎ𝑦𝑝𝑜𝑡𝑒𝑛𝑢𝑠𝑒

sin 𝜃 = tan 𝜃 = sec 𝜃 =
ℎ𝑦𝑝𝑜𝑡𝑒𝑛𝑢𝑠𝑒 𝑎𝑑𝑗𝑎𝑐𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑎𝑑𝑗𝑎𝑐𝑒𝑛𝑡

𝑎𝑑𝑗𝑎𝑐𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑎𝑑𝑗𝑎𝑐𝑒𝑛𝑡 ℎ𝑦𝑝𝑜𝑡𝑒𝑛𝑢𝑠𝑒

cos 𝜃 = cot 𝜃 = csc 𝜃 =
ℎ𝑦𝑝𝑜𝑡𝑒𝑛𝑢𝑠𝑒 𝑜𝑝𝑝𝑜𝑠𝑖𝑡𝑒 𝑜𝑝𝑝𝑜𝑠𝑖𝑡𝑒

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 Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics
Pre - Calculus
SY 2021 – 2022

Angle of Elevation

In this figure, the line AC drawn from the eye of the

student to the top of the minar is called the line of sight.
The student is looking at the top of the minar. The angle
BAC, so formed by the line of sight with the horizontal,
is called the angle of elevation of the top of the minar
from the eye of the student. Thus, the line of sight is the
line drawn from the eye of an observer to the point in
the object viewed by the observer.

It is defined as the angle formed by a horizontal line from an observer’s eye and the line of sight to an
object above the horizontal line.

Practice Problem #1

A kite is flying with the string inclined at 60° to the horizon. What is the height of the kite above the
ground when the string is 45m long?

Solution:

opposite
sin  =
hypotenuse
h
sin 60o =
45m
h
0.87 =
45m
h = (0.87)(45m)
h = 39.15m

The height of the kite from the ground is 39.15 m

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 Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics
Pre - Calculus
SY 2021 – 2022

Practice Problem #2

The angles of elevation of the top of a tower from the top

and bottom of a 60 m high building are 30o and 60o. What
is the height of the tower?

Solution:

h + 60m
tan 60o =
x h
tan 300 =
h + 60m x
1.73 =
opposite x h
tan  = 0.58 =
adjacent 1.73 x = h + 60m 52.17 m
h h = 1.73 x − 60m h = (0.58)(52.17 m)
tan 300 =
x 0.58 x = 1.73 x − 60m h = 30.26
h 60m = 1.73 x − 0.58 x
0.58 =
x 60m = 1.15 x h = 30.26m + 60
0.58 x = h Equation1 60m h = 90.26m
=x
1.15
The height of the tower is 90.26 meters.
x = 52.17m

Angle of Depression

The girl sitting on the balcony is looking down at a flowerpot placed on a stair of the temple. In this case,
the line of sight is below the horizontal
level. The angle so formed by the line of
sight with the horizontal is called the angle
of depression. Thus, the angle of depression
of a point on the object being viewed is the
angle formed by the line of sight with the
horizontal when the point is below the
horizontal level, i.e., the case when we
lower our head to look at the point being
viewed

It Is defined as the angle formed by a horizontal

line from an observer’s eye and the line of sight
to an object below the horizontal line.

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 Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics
Pre - Calculus
SY 2021 – 2022

Practice Problem #3

The angle of depression of a vehicle on the ground from the top of a tower is 60. If the vehicle is at 100
meters away from the building, find the height of the tower.

Solution:

opposite
tan  =
adjacent
h
tan 60o =
100m
h
1.73m =
100m
h = (1.73)(100m) The height of the tower
h = 173m is 173 meters.

Practice Problem #4

A man standing on a cliff sees two cars approaching him on a road. The angles of depression to the two
cars from the man’s line of sight are 25 and 40 respectively. If the height of the cliff is 87ft, find the
distance of between the two cars.

Solution:

opposite
tan  =
adjacent 87
tan 25o =
87 x+ y
tan 400 =
y 87
tan 25o =
87 x + 103.57
0.84 =
y 87 ft = (0.47)( x + 103.57 ft )
0.84 y = 87 ft 87 ft = 0.47 x + 48.68 ft
y = 103.57 ft 0.47 x = 38.32 ft
x = 81.53 ft

The distance between the two cars is 81.53 ft.

Key Concepts

✓ Angle of Elevation - is defined as the angle formed by a horizontal line from an observer’s eye
and the line of sight to an object above the horizontal line.
✓ Angle of Depression - is defined as the angle formed by a horizontal line from an observer’s eye
and the line of sight to an object below the horizontal line.

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 Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics
Pre - Calculus
SY 2021 – 2022

Learning Activity

I. Solve the following problem.

1. A tree casts a shadow 21 m long. The angle of elevation of sun is 51°. Find the height of the tree.
2. From the top of a vertical cliff 40 m high, the angle of depression of an object that is level with the
base of the cliff is 34°. How far is the object from the base of the cliff?
3. How far from the door must a ramp begin in order to rise three feet with an 8º angle of elevation?
4. An A-frame cabin is 26.23 feet high at the center, and the angle the roof makes with the base is
53º15'. How wide is the base?
5. Isaac’s camp is 5,280 feet from a point directly beneath Mt. Monadnock. What is the hiking
distance along the ridge if the angle of elevation is 25º 16'?

Tutorial Videos

You may access the pre-recorded on your module 2.4.1. in Canvas.

Got some questions and

clarifications? You may message
your subject teachers in Canvass
inbox or MS Teams. Or you can
post it on our discussion board.

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