汉林学院 – Mr.

Zhao
Chapter 5 Trigonometric Ratios

Review
Trigonometry is the branch of mathematics that deals with the properties of triangles and calculations based on these properties

The ratios of the sides of a right triangle are called trigonometric ratios. Three common trigonometric ratios are the sine (sin), cosine
(cos), and tangent (tan).

opposite adjacent opposite

sin 𝐴 = cos 𝐴 = tan 𝐴 =
hypotenuse hypotenuse adjacent

1 hypotenuse 1 hypotenuse 1 adjacent

csc 𝐴 = = sec 𝐴 = = cot 𝐴 = =
sin 𝐴 opposite cos 𝐴 adjacent tan 𝐴 opposite

Inverse is the reverse of an original statement; for example, if 𝑥 = sin 𝜃, the inverse is 𝜃 = sin−1 𝑥

Example
∆𝐴𝐵𝐶 is a right triangle with side lengths of 3 cm, 4 cm, and 5 cm. If 𝐶𝐵 = 3 cm and ∠C = 90°, which trigonometric ratio of ∠A
is the greatest?

Example
a) Determine EF in ∆𝐷𝐸𝐹 to the nearest tenth of a centimetre.
b) Express one unknown angle in terms of a primary trigonometric ratio and the other angle in terms of a reciprocal ratio. Then
calculate the unknown angles to the nearest degree.

Practice
1. a) For each triangle, calculate the six trigonometric ratios for 𝜃
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b) For each triangle, use one of the reciprocal ratios from part (a) to determine to the nearest degree.

2. A kite is flying 8.6 m above the ground at an angle of elevation of 41°. Calculate the length of string, to the nearest tenth of a meter,
needed to fly the kite using
a) A primary trigonometric ratio
b) A reciprocal trigonometric ratio

3. From the top of a building 60m high, the angle of depression of a car on the street is 37°. Calculate the distance from the base of
the building to the car.

4. At a distance of 81m from the base of Big Ben’s clock tower, in London, England, the angle of elevation to the top of the tower is
50°. How tall is the tower?

*5. For an airplane to land safely, the base of the clouds, or ceiling, above the airport must be at least 600m. Pearson Airport has a
spotlight that shines perpendicular to the ground, onto the cloud above. At 1100m from the spotlight, Cory measures the angle between
the spotlight’s vertical beam of light, to himself, and the illuminated spot on the base of the could to be 55°. Cory’s eyes are 1.8m
above the ground. With this cloud ceiling, is it safe for a plane to land at Pearson Airport.

Review
The exact values of the primary trigonometric ratios for 30°, 45° and 60° angles can be found by using the appropriate ratios of
sides in isosceles right triangles and half-equilateral triangles with right angles. These are often referred to as “special triangles.”

Example
Determine the exact value of each trigonometric expression.
a) sin 30° × tan 60° − cos 30°
b) tan2 30° − cos 2 45°
c) 2 cos 45° × sin 45°
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 sin 45°
d) 1 −
cos 45°

Example
Using the appropriate special triangle, determine 𝜃 if 0° ≤ 𝜃 ≤ 90°
√3
a) sin 𝜃 =
2

b) 2√2 cos 𝜃 = 2
c) √3 tan 𝜃 = 1
d) 2 cos 𝜃 = √3

Practice
1 1
1. Show that tan 30° + =
tan 30° sin 30° cos 30°

2. Using exact values, show that 1 + cot 2 𝜃 = csc 2 𝜃 for each angle.
a) 𝜃 = 30°
b) 𝜃 = 45°
c) 𝜃 = 60°

3. Determine the exact area of each large triangle.

4. A 5 m stepladder propped against a classroom wall forms an angle of 30° with the wall. Exactly how far is the top of the ladder
from the floor? Express your answer in radical form. What assumption did you make?

5. A baseball diamond forms a square of side length 27.4 m. Sarah says that she used a special triangle to calculate the distance
between home plate and second base.
a) Describe how Sarah might calculate this distance.
b) Use Sarah’s method to calculate this distance to the nearest tenth of a meter.

*6. If cot 𝑎 = √3, calculate (sin 𝑎)(cot 𝑎) − cos 2 𝛼 exactly.

tan 𝛽
*7. If csc 𝛽 = 2, calculate − sin2 𝛽 exactly.
sec 𝛽

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Standard position is an angle in the Cartesian plane whose vertex lies at the origin and whose initial arm (the arm that is fixed) lies
on the positive 𝑥-axis. Angle 𝜃 is measured from the initial arm to the terminal arm (the arm that rotates).

Related acute angle is the acute angle between the terminal arm of an angle in standard position and the 𝑥-axis when the terminal
arm lies in quadrants 2, 3, or 4
Principal angle is the counterclockwise angle between the initial arm and the terminal arm of an angle in standard position. Its value
is between 0° and 360°.

Negative angle is an angle measured clockwise from the positive 𝑥-axis

The CAST rule is an easy way to remember which primary trigonometric ratios are positive in which quadrant. Since r is always
positive, the sign of each primary ratio depends on the signs of the coordinates of the point.
• In quadrant 1, All (A) ratios are positive because both x and y are positive.
• In quadrant 2, only Sine (S) is positive, since x is negative and y is positive.
• In quadrant 3, only Tangent (T) is positive because both x and y are negative.
• In quadrant 4, only Cosine (C) is positive, since x is positive and y is negative

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Related Acute Angle Identities
The trigonometric ratio of an angle greater than 90° is equivalent to the same trigonometric ratio of the RAA of the angle. For
example, |sin(𝜃)| = sin(𝑅𝐴𝐴 𝑜𝑓 𝜃), |cos(𝜃)| = cos(𝑅𝐴𝐴 𝑜𝑓 𝜃), |tan(𝜃)| = tan(𝑅𝐴𝐴 𝑜𝑓 𝜃). However, we still need to determine
the sign of the exact trigonometric ratio by applying the CAST rule.

Example
Sketch each angle in standard position and determine the related acute angle.
a) 135°
b) 210°
c) 315°
d) 30°
e) −225°
f) −330°
g) 150°
h) −120°
i) 105°
j) −163°
k) −141°
l) −280°

Example
Give a value equivalent with
a) tan(360° − 𝑥)
b) sin(180° − 𝑥)

Example
For each trigonometric ratio, use a sketch to determine in which quadrant the terminal arm of the principal angle lies, the value of the
related acute angle 𝛽 and the ratio.
a) sin 315°
b) cot 300°
c) cos 240°
d) tan 145°

Example
Point (−9, 4) is on the terminal arm of an angle in standard position
a) Sketch the principal angle, 𝜃
b) What is the measure of the related acute angle to the nearest degree?
c) What is the measure of 𝜃 to the nearest degree?

Example
Use each trigonometric ratio to determine all possible values of 𝜃, where 0° ≤ 𝜃 ≤ 360°.
1
a) sin 𝜃 =
3

4
b) cot 𝜃 = −
3

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 1
c) cos 𝜃 = −
4

d) csc 𝜃 = 2.5
e) tan 𝜃 = −1.1
f) sec 𝜃 = −3.5

Example
Solve
a) 2 sin 𝑥 + 1 = 0, 0 ≤ 𝑥 ≤ 2𝜋
b) 3(tan 𝑥 + 1) = 2, where 0 ≤ 𝑥 ≤ 2𝜋.

Practice
1. Find the exact value of the following
a) sin 240°
b) cos 135°
c) cot 330°
d) sin 225°
e) cos 120°
f) tan 300°
g) csc −135°
h) sec −300°
i) tan 110°
j) cos 285°
k) tan 225°

2. Use each trigonometric ratio to determine all possible values of 𝜃, where 0° ≤ 𝜃 ≤ 360°.
√3
a) sin 𝜃 =
2

1
b) cos 𝜃 = −
√2

c) tan 𝜃 = 0
d) csc 𝜃 = −1
2
e) sec 𝜃 = −
√3

f) cot 𝜃 = 1
g) sin 𝜃 = −0.5
h) cos 𝜃 = 0
i) tan 𝜃 = −√3
j) tan 𝜃 = −1
k) csc 𝜃 = −2
l) sec 𝜃 = √2

3. Use each trigonometric ratio to determine all possible values of 𝜃, where 0° ≤ 𝜃 ≤ 360°.
a) sin 𝜃 = −0.8722
b) cot 𝜃 = −1.3333

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c) cos 𝜃 = −0.25
d) csc 𝜃 = 2.5
e) tan 𝜃 = −1.1
f) sec 𝜃 = −3.5
g) sin 𝜃 = 0.4815
h) cot 𝜃 = 8.1516
i) cos 𝜃 = −0.8722
j) csc 𝜃 = −2.3424
k) tan 𝜃 = −0.1623
l) sec 𝑥 = −1.9876
m) sin 𝜃 = 0.3154
n) sin 𝜃 = −0.7503
o) cos 𝜃 = −0.2882
p) csc 𝜃 = −2.3424
q) tan 𝜃 = −0.7571
r) tan 𝜃 = 2.3151
s) tan 𝑥 = 2.1357
t) sec 𝑥 = −5.4321
u) cos 𝑥 = 0.34202
v) csc 𝑥 = −2.50784

4. Determine the solutions for each equation on the interval 0° ≤ 𝑥 ≤ 360°.

a) 2 sin 𝑥 = −1
b) 3 cos 𝑥 = −2
c) 2 tan 𝑥 = 3
d) −3 sin 𝑥 − 1 = 1
e) −5 cos 𝑥 + 3 = 2
f) 8 − tan 𝑥 = 10

5. 𝑃(−9, 4) lies on the terminal arm of an angle in standard position.

a) Sketch the principal angle 𝜃
b) What is the value of the related acute angle to the nearest degree?
c) What is the value of the principal angle to the nearest degree?
e) Repeat part a) to part c) for 𝑃(−5, −12), 𝑃(20, −15) and 𝑃(3, −4)

5
6. a) Given cos 𝜃 = − , 180o ≤ 𝜃 ≤ 360o . Determine the exact values for each of the trigonometric ratio.
6

2
b) Given sin 𝜃 = , 90o ≤ 𝜃 ≤ 180o . Determine the exact values for each of the trigonometric ratio.
3

7
c) Given cos 𝜃 = − , where 90° ≤ 𝜃 ≤ 180°. Determine the exact values for each of the trigonometric ratio.
√53

*7. P, Q, and R are the angles in ∆𝑃𝑄𝑅. If sin P = 1 and sin R = 0.5, find the value of sin Q.

*8. Consider the angle 𝑥 = 8737°,

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a) Find 𝑥 ′ 𝑠 principal angle
b) Find 𝑥 ′ 𝑠 related acute angle

√10
*9. sec 𝑥 = − . Using a clearly labeled sketch, find the other 5 trigonometric ratios for all possible 𝑥s, then determine all possible
2

values of 𝑥.

sin(5355°)
*10. Evaluate −3 sec(−2760°) ×
2

*11. Solve the following for 0° ≤ 𝑥 ≤ 360°

a) 2 sin2 𝑥 − 1 = 0
b) 5 cos 𝑥 tan 𝑥 − 2 tan 𝑥 + 35 cos 𝑥 − 14 = 0
c) sin2 𝑥 − sin 𝑥 = 2
d) 2 sin2 𝑥 −3 sin 𝑥 + 1 = 0

*12. Solve the following for 0° ≤ 𝑥 ≤ 360°

2
a) + 10 = 6
sin 𝑥

5 cot 𝑥 7 1
b) − + =−
2 3 6

c) 3 + 10 sec 𝑥 − 1 = −18

cot 150°−2 cos 315°

*13. a) Evaluate exactly.
sin 240°

b) Evaluate 2 sin2 (60°) − 4 sec 300° (cos 150°)(cot 60°) − cos 405° exactly.
c) Determine the exact value for tan 30° + csc 60° − cos 2 45°

Identity is a mathematical statement that is true for ALL values of the given variables. If the identity involves fractions, the
denominators cannot be zero. Any restrictions on a variable must be stated.

A trigonometric identity is an equation involving trigonometric ratios that is true for ALL values of the variable. Some trigonometric
identities are a result of a definition, while others are derived from relationships that exist among trigonometric ratios.

To prove that a given trigonometric equation is an identity, both sides of the equation need to be shown to be equivalent. This can be
done by

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• Simplifying the more complicated side until it is identical to the other side or manipulating both sides to get the same expression
• Rewriting all expressions involving tangent and the reciprocal trigonometric ratios in terms of sine and cosine
• Applying any known trigonometric identity where appropriate
• Using a common denominator or factoring as required

Example
sin 𝜃
a) Prove the quotient identity tan 𝜃 = for all angles 𝜃, where 0° ≤ 𝜃 ≤ 360°
cos 𝜃

b) Prove the Pythagorean identity sin2 𝜃 + cos 2 𝜃 = 1 for all angles 𝜃, where 0° ≤ 𝜃 ≤ 360°
sin 𝜃+sin2 𝜃
c) Prove that tan 𝜃 = (cos for all angles 𝜃, where 0° ≤ 𝜃 ≤ 360°
𝜃)(1+sin 𝜃)

d) Prove that 1 + cot 2 𝜃 = csc 2 𝜃 for all angles 𝜃 between 0° 𝑎𝑛𝑑 360°, except 0°, 180°, and 360°

Practice
1. Prove the following identities
a) tan2 𝜃 + 1 = sec 2 𝜃
b) cot 2 𝜃 + 1 = csc 2 𝜃
1 1
c) tan 𝑥 + =
tan 𝑥 sin 𝑥 cos 𝑥

sin2 𝑥
d) = 1 + cos 𝑥
1−cos 𝑥

1
e) cos 𝑥 + sin 𝑥 tan 𝑥 =
cos 𝑥

cos 𝑥 1−sin 𝑥
f) =
1+sin 𝑥 cos 𝑥

g) sin2 𝑥 + cos 4 𝑥 = cos 2 𝑥 + sin4 𝑥

1
h) sin2 𝜃 (1 + )=1
tan2 𝜃

sin2 𝜃+2𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜃−1 cos2 𝜃+cos 𝜃

i) =
sin2 𝜃+3𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜃−3 − sin2 𝜃

2 sin2 𝜃−2 sin4 𝜃−1

j) sin2 𝜃 − cos 2 𝜃 − tan2 𝜃 =
1−𝑠𝑛2 𝜃

sin 𝛼 cos 𝛼
k) 1 − cos 2 𝛼 =
cot 𝛼

l) sec 𝛼 cos 𝛼 + sec 𝛼 sin 𝛼 = 1 + tan 𝛼

sin2 𝑥 cos2 𝑥
m) 1 − =
1+cot 𝑥 1+tan 𝑥

cos 𝑥 cos 𝑥
n) + = 2 sec 𝑥
1+sin 𝑥 1−sin 𝑥

2. Prove the following identities and state the restrictions.

a) cos 𝑥 tan 𝑥 = sin 𝑥
cot 𝑥 1−sin2 𝑥
b) =
tan 𝑥 1−cos2 𝑥

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 cos2 𝑥
c) cot 2 𝑥 =
1−cos2 𝑥

csc 𝑥
d) = cot 𝑥
sec 𝑥

e) (sin 𝑥 + cos 𝑥)2 = 1 + 2 sin 𝑥 cos 𝑥

f) 2 sin2 𝑥 − 1 = sin2 𝑥 − cos 2 𝑥
1 1 1
g) + =
sin2 𝑥 cos2 𝑥 sin2 𝑥 cos2 𝑥

h) cos 2 𝑥 = sin2 𝑥 + 2 cos 2 𝑥 − 1

i) tan 𝑥 = tan2 𝑥 cot 𝑥
j) sec 2 𝑥 + csc 2 𝑥 = sec 2 𝑥 csc 2 𝑥
1 1
k) + = 2 sec 2 𝑥
1+sin 𝑥 1−sin 𝑥

l) tan2 𝑥 − sin2 𝑥 = sin2 𝑥 tan2 𝑥

m) cot 2 𝑥 + sec 2 𝑥 = tan2 𝑥 + csc 2 𝑥
1+2 sin 𝑥 cos 𝑥
n) = sin 𝑥 + cos 𝑥
sin 𝑥+cos 𝑥

sec 𝑥+1 cos 𝑥+1

o) + =0
sec 𝑥−1 cos 𝑥−1

tan 𝑥 sin 𝑥 tan 𝑥−sin 𝑥

p) =
tan 𝑥+sin 𝑥 tan 𝑥 sin 𝑥

csc 𝑥+cot 𝑥 1+2 cos 𝑥+cos2 𝑥

q) =
csc 𝑥−cot 𝑥 sin2 𝑥

r) sin 𝑥 cos 𝑥 tan 𝑥 = 1 − cos 2 𝑥

s) sin 𝑥 + tan 𝑥 = tan 𝑥 (1 + cos 𝑥)
t) tan 𝑥 + cot 𝑥 = sec 𝑥 csc 𝑥
csc 𝑥 csc 𝑥
u) + = 2 sec 2 𝑥
csc 𝑥−1 csc 𝑥+1

v) (1 − cos 2 𝑥)(1 + cot 2 𝑥) = 1

w) sec 4 𝑥 − tan4 𝑥 = 1 + 2 tan2 𝑥
cos 𝑥 sin 𝑥 cos 𝑥 cot 𝑥−tan 𝑥
x) − =
sec 𝑥 cot 𝑥 csc 𝑥

y) sin 𝑥 − cos 𝑥 = 1 − 2 cos 2 𝑥

4 4

z) sec 2 𝑥 − sin2 𝑥 = cos 2 𝑥 + tan2 𝑥

*3. Prove the following identities.

cos 𝑥−sin 𝑥−cos3 𝑥
a) = sin2 𝑥 − tan 𝑥
cos 𝑥

2−sec2 𝑥
b) = sin4 𝑥 − cos 4 𝑥
− sec2 𝑥

cot 𝑥 cot 𝑥
c) + = −2 tan 𝑥
1+csc 𝑥 1−csc 𝑥

cos 𝑥(1+sin 𝑥)
d) cot 𝑥 + cos 𝑥 =
sin 𝑥

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 2 cos 𝑥
e) cot 𝑥 + cos 𝑥 =
sin 𝑥

f) cos 𝑥 + cot 𝑥 = tan 𝑥 + sin 𝑥

The sine law states that in any ∆𝐴𝐵𝐶, the ratios of each side to the sine of its opposite angle are equal.
𝑎 𝑏 𝑐 sin 𝐴 sin 𝐵 sin 𝐶
= = or = =
sin 𝐴 sin 𝐵 sin 𝐶 𝑎 𝑏 𝑐

The ambiguous case of the sine law is a situation in which 0, 1, or 2 triangles can be drawn given the information in a problem. This
occurs when you know two side lengths and an angle rather than between them.

Example
Determine the measure of angle 𝜃 to the nearest degree.

Example
Albert and Belle are part of a scientific team studying thunderclouds. The team is about to launch a weather balloon into an active part
of a cloud. Albert’s rope is 7.8 m long and makes an angle of 36° with the ground. Belle’s rope is 5.9 m long. Determine the distance
between Albert and Belle.

Example
For the following triangle, state the number of possible triangles. In triangle ABC, angle A=27°, 𝑏 = 25, and 𝑐 = 30

Practice
1. Where appropriate, sketch all possible triangles, given each set of information. Label all side lengths to the nearest tenth of a
centimeter and all angles to the nearest degree.
a) 𝑎 = 7.2 𝑐𝑚, 𝑏 = 9.3 𝑐𝑚, ∠A = 35°
b) 𝑎 = 7.3 𝑐𝑚, 𝑏 = 14.6 𝑐𝑚, ∠A = 30°
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c) 𝑎 = 1.3 𝑐𝑚, 𝑏 = 2.8 𝑐𝑚, ∠A = 33°
d) 𝑐 = 22.2 𝑐𝑚, ∠A = 75°, ∠B = 43°

2. A sailor out in a lake sees two lighthouses 11 km apart along the shore and gets bearings of 285° from his present position for
lighthouse A and 237° for lighthouse B. From lighthouse B, lighthouse A has a bearing of 45°
a) How far, to the nearest kilometer, is the sailor from both lighthouses?
b) What is the shortest distance, to the nearest kilometer, from the sailor to the shore?

3. The Gerbrandy Tower in the Netherlands is an 80 m high concrete tower, on which a 273.5 m guyed mast is mounted. The lower
guy wires form an angle of 36° with the ground and attach to the tower 155 m above ground. The upper guy wires form an angle of
59° with the ground and attach to the mast 350 m above ground. How long are the upper and lower guy wires? Round your answers
to the nearest meter.

4. Ben and Cara are both looking at the top of a tower in the distance in the same line of sight, although Cara is 100 m ahead of Ben.
Ben observed the tower at an angle of 16° with the ground. If the top of the tower is 800 m from Cara. (State which Law is being
used in this question)
a) How far is Ben from the top of the tower (AB)?
b) How far is Cara from the bottom of the tower (CD)?
c) What is Cara’s angle of sight with the ground (𝜃)?

5. Determine the value of 𝑥.

6. A light in a park can illuminate effectively up to a distance of 210 m. A point on a bike path is 350 m from the light. The sight line
to the light makes an angle of 26° with the bike path. What length of the bike path, to the nearest tenth of a meter, is effectively
illuminated by the light?

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*7. Determine whether it is possible to draw a triangle, given each set of information. Do Not Solve!
a) 𝑎 = 1.5𝑐𝑚, 𝑏 = 2.8𝑐𝑚 and ∠A = 41°
b) 𝑎 = 2.1𝑐𝑚, 𝑐 = 6.1𝑚 and ∠A = 20°

*8. In triangle ABC, angle 𝐵 = 41.1°, and 𝑐 = 18. Find all possible values of 𝑏 for which there are no possible triangles.

*9. A rescue helicopter flew from its home base for 35km on a direction of 30° west of north to pick up an accident victim. It then
flew 25km due east to the hospital. What distance and on what direction will the helicopter fly to return directly to its home base?

*10. Solve ∆𝐽𝐾𝐿, if ∠J = 50.4°, 𝑗 = 13.3cm and 𝑘 =16.7cm.

11. To calculate the height of a tree, Peter measures the angle of elevation from a point A to be 34°. He then walks 10m directly
toward the tree, and finds the angle of elevation from the new point B to be 41°. What is the height of the tree?

*12. Solve ∆𝐴𝐵𝐶, if ∠A = 29.3°, 𝑏 = 20.5cm and 𝑎 =12.8cm.

Given any triangle, the cosine law can be used if you know
• Two sides and the angle contained between those sides (SAS) or
• All three sides (SSS)
The cosine law states that in any ∆𝐴𝐵𝐶,
𝑎2 = 𝑏 2 + 𝑐 2 − 2𝑏𝑐 × cos 𝐴
𝑏 2 = 𝑎2 + 𝑐 2 − 2𝑎𝑐 × cos 𝐵
𝑐 2 = 𝑎2 + 𝑏 2 − 2𝑎𝑏 × cos 𝐶

If ∠A = 90°, and ∠A is the contained angle, then the cosine law simplifies to the Pythagorean theorem: 𝑎2 = 𝑏 2 + 𝑐 2

Example
1 Determine each unknown side length to the nearest tenth

Example
For each triangle, determine the value of 𝜃 to the nearest degree.

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Practice
1. Two forest fire towers, A and B, are 20.3 km apart. From tower A, the bearing of tower B is 70°. The ranger in each tower observes
a fire and radios the bearing of the fire from the tower. The bearing from tower A is 25° and from tower B is 345°. How far, to the
nearest tenth of a kilometer, is the fire from each tower?

2. The posts of a hockey goal are 2.0 m apart. A player attempts to score by shooting the puck along the ice from a point 6.5 m from
one post and 8.0 m from the other. Within what angle 𝜃 must the shot be made? Round your answer to the nearest degree.

*3. An equilateral triangle with side length 12cm is divided into three triangles of equal area by two line segments of length 𝑥 passing
through a vertex. Determine the exact value of 𝑥.

*4. Two hot-air balloons are moored to level ground below, each at a different location. An observer at each location determines the
angle of elevation to the opposite balloon as shown at the right. The observers are 2.0 km apart
a) What is the distance separating the balloons, to the nearest tenth of a kilometer?
b) Determine the difference in height (above the ground) between the two balloons. Round your answer to the nearest meter.

5. While golfing, Sahar hits a tee shot from T toward a hole at H, but the ball veers 23° and lands at B. The scorecard says that H is
270 m from T. If Sahar walks 160 m to the ball (B), how far, to the nearest meter, is the ball from the hole?

6. Two spotlights, one blue and the other white, are placed 6.0 m apart on a track on the ceiling of a ballroom. A stationary observer
standing on the ballroom floor notices that the angle of elevation is 45° to the blue spotlight and 70° to the white one. How high, to
the nearest tenth of a meter, is the ceiling of the ballroom?

*7. A runner is racing a triangular course. She starts at point A, runs 7.6km to point B, then 9.3km to point C, then back to pint A. If
angle BCA= 29°, how far does she run in total?

Solving Three-Dimensional Problems by Using Trigonometry General Strategy

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• If right angle triangle: use trigonometric ratio.
• If scalene triangle:
i) If you know one pair of angle and its opposite side, use Sine Law
ii) Otherwise, use Cosine Law

Example
From point B, Manny uses a clinometer to determine the angle of elevation to the top of a cliff as 38°. From point D, 68.5 m away
from Manny, Joe estimates the angle between the base of the cliff, himself, and Manny to be 42°, while Manny estimates the angle
between the base of the cliff, himself, and his friend Joe to be 63°. Calculate the height of the cliff to the nearest tenth of a meter.

Example
Emma is on a 50 m high bridge and sees two boats anchored below. From her position, boat A has a bearing of 230° and boat B has a
bearing of 120° Emma estimates the angles of depression to be 38° for boat A and 35° for boat B. How far apart are the boats to
the nearest meter?

Practice
1. To determine the height of a pole across a road, Justin takes two measurements. He stands at point A directly across from the base
of the pole and determines that the angle of elevation to the top of the pole is 15.3°. He then walks 30 m parallel to the freeway to
point C, where he sees that the base of the pole and point A are 57.5° apart. From point A, the base of the pole and point C are 90°
apart. Calculate the height of the pole to the nearest meter.

2. From one side of a river, John sees two trees on the opposite side. The distances from John to the trees are 50 m and 35 m, and the
angle between the two trees from John's perspective, is 60°. How far apart are the trees, to the nearest centimeter? Include a labelled
diagram in your solution. First make a sketch and then solve. (State which Law is being used in this question)

3. Two roads intersect at 34°. Two cars leave the intersection on different roads at speeds of 80 km/h and 100 km/h. After 2 h, a
traffic helicopter that is above and between the two cars takes readings on them. The angle of depression to the slower car is 20° and
the straight-line distance from the helicopter to that car is 100 km. Assume that both cars are travelling at constant speed.
a) Calculate the straight-line distance, to the nearest kilometer, from the helicopter to the faster car. Explain your reasoning for each
step of your solution.
b) Determine the altitude of the helicopter to the nearest kilometer.

4. Simone is facing north at the entrance of a tunnel through a mountain. She notices that a 1515 m high mountain in the distance has a
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bearing of 270° and its peak appears at an angle of elevation of 35°. After she exits the tunnel, the same mountain has a bearing of
258° and its peak appears at an angle of elevation of 31°. Assuming that the tunnel is perfectly level and straight, how long is it to
the nearest meter?

5. An airport radar operator locates two planes flying toward the airport. The first plane, P, is 120 km from the airport, A, at a bearing
of 70° and with an altitude of 2.7 km. The other plane, Q, is 180 km away on a bearing of 125° and with an altitude of 1.8 km.
Calculate the distance between the two planes to the nearest tenth of a kilometer.

6. Mario is standing at ground level exactly at the corner where two exterior walls of his apartment building meet. From Mario’s
position, his apartment window on the north side of the building appears 44.5 m away at an angle of elevation of 55°. Mario notices
that his friend Thomas’s window on the west side of the building appears 71.0 m away at an angle of elevation of 34°.
a) If a rope were pulled taut from one window to the other, around the outside of the building, how long, to the nearest tenth of a meter,
would the rope need to be? Explain your reasoning.
b) What is the straight-line distance through the building between the two windows? Round your answer to the nearest tenth of a
meter.

7. While on a hiking trip in Algonquin Park, two hikers separate from their group and each becomes lost. Both hikers go to wide open
clearings where aircraft can see them. After several hours, the larger group contacts the park rangers to tell them of the lost hikers. A
rescue helicopter, at an altitude of 200m, spots both hikers at the same time. One is an angle of depression of 9° and a bearing of
240°. The other is at an angle of depression of 13° and a bearing of 68°. How far apart are they?

8. Two watch towers at an historic fort are located 123m apart. The first tower is 28m tall, and the second tower is 57m tall. What is
the angle of depression from the top of the first tower to the foot of the second tower?

*9. Stefan has set up a right ∆𝐸𝐹𝐺 on one side of a river such that 𝐹𝐺 measures 20m and ∠𝐷𝐸𝐹 measures 54°. EG bisects ∠𝐷𝐸𝐹.
Determine the length of 𝐺𝐷.

*10. Two roads intersect at an angle of 41°. Two cars leave the intersection, each on a different road. One car travels at a speed of
90km/h, the other at 120km/h. after 20 minutes, a hot air balloon is hovering 1.7 km directly above and halfway between the cars.
What is the angle of elevation from the faster car to the hot air balloon?

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