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Mathematics
Quarter 4 – Module 3:
Angles of Elevation and Depression
Mathematics – Grade 9
Alternative Delivery Mode
Quarter 4 – Module 3: Angles of Elevation and Depression
First Edition, 2021

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Published by the Department of Education, SDO Nueva Ecija

Schools Division Superintendent: Jessie D. Ferrer, CESO V
Assistant Schools Division Superintendent: Mina Gracia L. Acosta, PhD., CESO VI
Ronilo E. Hilario

Development Team of the Module

Writer: Ryan D. Alap
Editors: Jerry M. Padigdig
Joialie O. Gonzales
Rolando C. Rullan, Jr.
Donato B. Chico
Levy B. Hernal
Mark V. Gatbunton
Reviewer: SDO Nueva Ecija
Layout Artist: Rony C. Roncales, MAT
Management Team: Jayne M. Garcia, EdD
Florentino O. Ramos, PhD
Beverly T. Mangulabnan, PhD
Eleanor A. Manibog, PhD

Printed in the Philippines by Department of Education – Region III – SDO Nueva Ecija

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Introductory Message

This Self-Learning Module is prepared so that you, our dear learners, can
continue your studies and learn while at home. Activities, questions,
directions, exercises, and discussions are clearly stated for you to
understand each lesson.

Each SLM is composed of different parts. Each part shall guide you step-
by step as you discover and understand the lessons prepared for you.

Pre-tests are provided to measure your prior knowledge on lessons in

each SLM. This will tell you if you need to proceed on completing this
module if you need to ask your facilitator or your teacher’s assistance for
better understanding of the lesson. At the end of each module, you need
to answer the post-test to self-check your learning. Answer keys are
provided for each activity and test. We trust that you will be honest in using
these.

In addition to the material in the main test, notes to the teacher are also
provided to our facilitators and parents for strategies and reminders on
how they can best help you on your home-based learning.

Please use this module with care. Do not put unnecessary marks on any
part of this SLM. Use a separate sheet of paper in answering the exercises
and tests. Read the instructions carefully before performing each task.

If you have any question in using this SLM or any difficulty in answering
the tasks in this module, do not hesitate to consult your teacher or
facilitator.

Thank you.
 What I Need to Know

This module was designed and written for the learners. After going
through this module, the learner is expected to

1. illustrate angles of elevation and angles of depression (M9GEIVd-1).

2. solve problems related to angles of elevation and depression.

What I Know

PRE-ASSESSMENT

Directions: Find out how much you already know about this lesson. Choose
the correct answer for each item. Write the letter of your answers on a
separate sheet of paper. Take note of the items that you have not answered
correctly and find out the right answer as you go through this module.

1. What is the angle formed by the horizontal line with the line of sight to an
object that is above the horizontal line?

A. Angle of elevation B. Angle of depression

C. Both A and B D. Neither A nor B

2. A building that is 40 m tall casts a shadow that is 48 m long. Find the angle
of elevation of the sun.

A. 560 B. 390 C. 330 D. 290

3. The angle of depression from the top of a lighthouse to a ship is 450. If the
lighthouse is 20 m high, how far from the lighthouse is the ship?

A. 13 m B. 17.23 m C. 18.20 m D. 20 m

4. A tower is 20.25 m high. At a certain distance away from the tower, an

observer determines that the angle of elevation to the top of it is 510. How far
is the observer from the base of the tower?

A. 16.40 m B. 13.46 m C. 10.87 m D. 7.89 m

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5. An airplane is flying at a height of 6000 meters above the ground. The
distance along the ground from the airplane to the airport is 8000 meters.
What is the angle of depression from the airplane to the airport?

A. 24.230 B. 28.870 C. 36.870 D. 43.850

Lesson
3 Angles of Elevation and Depression

Congratulations! You are now studying the third lesson for the Fourth
Quarter.
The previous module discussed the trigonometric ratios of special
angles. Now, in this module we will focus on the illustrations of angle of
elevation and angle of depression.

In addition, this module will help students solve problems related to

angles of elevation and depression.

What’s In

Suppose you are on top of a mountain and looking down at a certain

village, how will you directly measure the height of the mountain? An airplane
is flying a certain height above the ground. It is possible to directly find the
distance along the ground from the airplane to an airport using a ruler? The
trigonometric ratios as you have learned in the previous lesson will help you
answer these questions.

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 What’s New

ACTIVITY: Follow the steps!!!

Directions: Follow the steps below and answer the questions that follow.

1. Use tape measure to measure the heights of your eyes.

2. Move around your house and find an object that was at exact same height
as your eyes and label a picture that looked like this:
You

Height of Eyes
Object at Same Height

Horizontal
After that, 3. Make a list of objects in your house that you would have to look
up to see (elevation).

List of 5 Objects
• m
• m
• m
• m
• You

Elevation

and objects that you would have to look down to see (depression).

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 You

List of 5 Objects
• m
• m
• m
• m
•

Questions:
1. How did you find the activity?
2. Describe the illustration or picture you have created from the activity.
3. What mathematical concepts did you learn from the activity? When you
look up to all objects is there an angle formed? What about when you look
down?
4. Do you think you can directly measure the height, the distance of the object
you have listed in the activity?

What is It

Definitions:

Line of sight is an imagery line that connects the eye of an observer to

the object being observed.

The angle of elevation is the angle from the horizontal to the line of
sight of the observer to the object above.

The angle of depression is the angle from the horizontal to the line of
sight of the observer to the object below.

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 angle of elevation
𝜃
horizontal line of sight
𝜃′
angle of depression

Figure: Angles 𝜃 and 𝜃 ′ are angles of elevation and depression, respectively.

Trigonometric ratios may be used to solve problems involving angles of
elevation and depression.

Example 1:

From the top of an electric tower, a man finds that the angle of
depression of a car on the ground is 60°. If the car is at a distance 50 m from
the tower, find the height of the tower.

600 a. Draw the diagram.

b. What is/are given?
600 – the angle of depression
of a car on the ground
50 m – distance of a car from
600
the tower
50 m

c. What is asked? What is the height of an electric tower?

𝒐𝒑𝒑𝒐𝒔𝒊𝒕𝒆
d. Mathematical sentence used. tan 𝜽 =
𝒂𝒅𝒋𝒂𝒄𝒆𝒏𝒕
𝑥
e. Solution: tan 600 = Substituted to the formula.
50

50 tan 600 = x by MPE, multiplied both sides by 50.

50 (1.73) = x Simplified

x = 86.60 m (Approximate) the height of an electric tower.

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 Example 2:

Ryan is standing 30 ft from the base of a 4-storey building. If he

determines that the angle of elevation from the ground to the top of a 4-storey
building is 670, how tall is the building?

a. Draw the diagram.

b. What is/are given?

30 ft – the distance of Ryan from

the base of a tall building
670
30 ft 670 – the angle of elevation from
the ground to the top of the
building

c. What is asked? How tall is the building?

𝒐𝒑𝒑𝒐𝒔𝒊𝒕𝒆
d. Mathematical sentence used. tan 𝜽 =
𝒂𝒅𝒋𝒂𝒄𝒆𝒏𝒕

x
e. Solution: tan 670 = Substituted
30

30 tan 670 = x by MPE, multiplied both sides by 30

30 (2.36) = x Simplified

x = 70. 68 ft (Approximate) the height of the building

Example 3:

A palm tree that is 32 ft tall casts a shadow that is 38 m long. Find the
angle of elevation of the sun.

a. Draw a diagram.
b. What is/are given?

32 ft – height of the building

38 ft – length of the shadow

32 ft
𝜃 c. What is asked? What is the angle
of elevation of the sun?
38 ft
𝒐𝒑𝒑𝒐𝒔𝒊𝒕𝒆
d. Mathematical sentence used. tan 𝜽 =
𝒂𝒅𝒋𝒂𝒄𝒆𝒏𝒕

32
e. Solution: tan 𝜃 = Substituted
38
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 32
𝜃 = tan-1 = tan-1 0.84 Simplified
38

(In your scientific calculator, press SHIFT or 2nd F tan 0.84 DMS

𝜃 ≈ 40.760 the angle of elevation of the sun.

Example 4:

Find the value of 𝜃 in the given figure.

a. Draw the diagram.

B
b. What is/are given? In
the given ∆ ABC, AC = 400
314 cm cm, BC = 314 cm.
𝜃
c. What is asked? What is
A C
400 cm the value of 𝜃?

𝑜𝑝𝑝𝑜𝑠𝑖𝑡𝑒 𝑠𝑖𝑑𝑒
d. Mathematical sentence used. To find ∠A = θ tan 𝜃 =
𝑎𝑑𝑗𝑎𝑐𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑠𝑖𝑑𝑒

𝐵𝐶
e. Solution: tan 𝜃 =
𝐴𝐶

314
tan 𝜃 = , tan 𝜃 = 0.78
400

Therefore, 𝜃 = tan-1 (0.785) = 38. Hence, the value of 𝜃 = 380.

(In your scientific calculator, press SHIFT or 2nd F tan 0.785 D’M’S

Example 5:

The vehicle is away from the building at 75 m. If the angle of depression

of a vehicle from the top of a tower on the ground is 450, find the height of the
tower.

a. Draw the diagram.

B Y
450

450
A
C
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b. What is/are given? In the figure above,

A is a vehicle.

BC is the height of the tower.

AC is the distance between the tower and the vehicle.

BY is the line of sight.

c. What is asked? What is the height of the tower?

𝒐𝒑𝒑𝒐𝒔𝒊𝒕𝒆
d. Mathematical sentence used. tan 𝜽 =
𝒂𝒅𝒋𝒂𝒄𝒆𝒏𝒕

e. Solution: The angle of depression, ∠𝑌𝐵𝐴 = 45, so the angle of elevation,

∠CBA = angle of depression, ∠YBA = 45. Now in right ∆ BCA,

CA = 75 m, ∠A = 45, BC = x (in m), let ∠A = 𝜃 = 450.

𝑜𝑝𝑝𝑜𝑠𝑖𝑡𝑒
We know, tan 𝜃 =
𝑎𝑑𝑗𝑎𝑐𝑒𝑛𝑡

𝐵𝐶 𝑥
tan 450 = = Substituted
𝐴𝐶 75

x = 75 tan 450 MPE, multiplied both sides by 75.

x = 75 m

Hence, the height of the tower is 75 meters.

What’s More

Enrichment Activity 1: Identify Me!

Directions: In the following figures, write the segment that represents the line
of sight, and identify the angles (if any) that represent the angle of elevation
or angle of depression by putting a check mark (/). Write your answers on a
separate sheet of paper.

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 Figure Angle of Angle of Line of
Elevation Depression Sight

1.
B
C

D A

2.
Y

N R

Z
3.

X Y

Enrichment Activity 2: Illustrate and Solve Me!!!

Directions: Illustrate and solve the following problems. Use the template
below. Write your answers on a separate sheet of paper.

Draw the diagram.

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What is/are given?

What is asked?

Mathematical sentence used.

Solution

Problems:
1. A 15-meter-high post casts a 22- meter shadow. Find the angle of elevation
to the sun.

2. The angle of elevation from a boat to the top of 102- meter hill is 220. How
far is the boat from the base of the hill?

3. From the top of the control tower 350 m tall, a rock is sighted on the ground
below. If the rock is 270 m from the base of the tower, find the angle of
depression of the rock from the top of the control tower.

4. From the top of a cliff 380 meters high, the angle of depression of a boat is
350. How far from the base of the cliff is the boat?

5. From an airplane at an altitude of 1300 m, the angle of depression to a rock

on the ground measures 380. Find the horizontal distance from the plane to
the rock.

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 What I Have Learned

Activity 1: Sum it Up!!!

Let us recall what you have learned. Supply the missing word/s to make the
statement true. Write your answer on a separate sheet of paper.

1. _______________ is an imaginary line that stretches between your eye and

the object that you are looking at.

2. ________________ is the angle made by the horizontal line and the line of
sight to an object that is below the horizontal line.

3. ________________ is the angle made by the horizontal line and the line of
sight to an object above the horizontal line.

4. __________ is a figure formed by two rays meeting at a common end point.

5. An observer looks at a bird found on the rooftop, then an angle is formed,

which is inclined from the eye of the observer towards the bird. What do you
call the angle formed? _____________________.

Activity 2: Create your own Problems!!!

Create your own word problem that involves angles of elevation and
depression then solve it. Refer to the rubric below. Use separate sheet/s of
paper for your answer.

Criteria Excellent (3) Good (2) Fair (1) Poor (0)

Content Appropriate Appropriate Appropriate Appropriate
content is used content is used content may have content is not
for each word for each word been used. observed.
problem. problem. Student shows Student does not
Student clearly Student shows little demonstrate an
understands some understanding of understanding of
the understanding the mathematical the mathematical
mathematical of the concepts. concepts.
concepts. mathematical

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 concepts.

Organization The word The word The word problem The word problem
problem problem is not written in is not written in
is written in is written in clear and clear and
clear clear coherent coherent
and coherent and coherent language. The language or may
language. The language. The word problem not be observed.
word problem word problem may or may not The word problem
includes a includes an include an answer does not include
correct answer key. key. an answer key.
answer key
that is
neat and
legible.
Mechanics Proper Proper Proper language, Proper language,
language, language, capitalization and capitalization and
capitalization capitalization punctuation may punctuation are
and and have been used, not observed.
punctuation punctuation are but more than
are present with no two mistakes.
present with more than two
no mistakes.
mistakes.

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 What I Can Do

Directions: Illustrate and solve the following problems. Write your complete
solutions on a separate sheet of paper.

1. A ladder 12 m long leans against the wall of a building. If the foot of the
ladder makes an angle of 720 with the ground, how far is the base of the ladder
from the wall?

2. A surveyor is 140 feet from a tower; the tower is 96 feet high. The surveyor's
instrument is 14.75 feet above the ground. If the surveyor sights the top of
the tower with his instruments, what is the angle of elevation?

3. A fire is sighted by a ranger in a fire tower, 85 meters above the ground. If

the ranger is looking down at an angle of depression of 32°, how far from the
base of the tower is the fire?

4. A tree casts a 77-meter shadow. If the angle of elevation from the tip of the
shadow to the top of the tree is 80º, how tall is the tree?

5. You sight a rock climber on a cliff at a 420 angle of elevation. Your eye level
is 16 ft above the ground, and you are 1500 ft from the base of the cliff. What
is the approximate height of the rock climber from the ground?

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 Assessment
Directions: Let us check how much you have learned from this module. Read
each question carefully. Write the letter of your answers on a separate sheet
of paper.

1. Find the shadow cast by a 15-foot lamp post when the angle of elevation of
the sun is 680. Find the length to the nearest tenth of a foot.
A. 3.8’ B. 4.8’ C. 6.1’ D. 10.1’

2. From the top of a fire tower, a forest ranger sees his partner on the ground
at an angle of depression of 500. If the tower is 55 feet in the height, how far
is the partner from the base of the tower, to the nearest tenth of a foot?
A. 46.2’ B. 57.6’ C. 62.3’ D. 79.9’

3. Find the shadow cast by a 15 ft lamp post when the angle of elevation of
the sun is 780. Find the length to the nearest tenth of a foot.
A. 2.0’ B. 2.9’ C. 3.2’ D. 5.3’

4. A ladder leans against a brick wall. The foot of the ladder is 10 ft from the
wall. The ladder reaches a height 18 feet on the wall. Find the nearest
degree, the angle the ladder makes with the wall.

A. 290 B. 380 C. 410 D. 520

5. A flagpole is known to be 25 m high. From what distance will its top have
an angle of elevation of 700?
A. 6.6 m B. 9.1 m C. 10.6 m D. 19.1 m

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What's More
Enrichment Activity 1
1. Angle of depression, 𝐶𝐵തതതത
തതതത
or 𝐵𝐶
തതതത
2. Angle of elevation, 𝑌𝑅
തതതത
or 𝑅𝑌 Assessment
𝑍𝑌
3. Angle of elevation, തതതത 1. C
തതതത
or 𝑌𝑍 2. A
3. C
4. A
What I Can Do 5. B
1. 3.90 m
What I Know
2. 300 7’ 1. A
3. 136.03 m 2. D
4. 436.69 m 3. D
5. 1,366.61 ft 4. A
5. C
What I Have Learned
1. Line of sight
2. Angle of
depression
3. Angle of elevation
4. Angle
5. Angle of elevation
5
1
Answer Key
References

Books:

Bryant, M., Bulalayao, L., Callanta, M., Cruz, J., De Vera, R., Garcia., Javier,
S., Lazaro., Mesterio, B., & Saladino RH., DepEd (2014). Mathematics Grade
9 Learner’s Material. First Edition. ISBN:978-971-9601-71-5.

Ponsones, R., Ocampo, S., & Tresvalles, R., Math Ideas and Life Applications.
Second Printing 2013. ISBN: 978-971-553-889-3.

Websites:
https://www.mathsisfun.com/definitions/angle-of-elevation.html
https://byjus.com/maths/angle-of-elevation/
https://byjus.com/maths/angle-of-depression/
https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/line-of-sight
https://mathbitsnotebook.com/Geometry/Trigonometry/TGElevDepress.ht
ml

Figures:
www.bing.com

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