Right Triangles and

Trigonometry

Chapter 8
8.1 Geometric Mean
# x
 Geometric mean:

x #
 Ex: Find the  Ex: Find the
geometric mean geometric mean
between 5 and 45 between 8 and 10
 If an altitude is drawn from the right angle of a
right triangle. The two new triangles and the
original triangle are all similar.
B

A C
D

ABC ~ ADB ~ BDC

 The altitude from a
right angle of a right hyp.seg.1 altitude

triangle is the altitude hyp.seg.2
geometric mean of
the two hypotenuse
B
segments

AD BD
Ex: 
BD DC
A C
D
 The leg of the
triangle is the hypotenuse leg

geometric mean of leg adjacent.hyp.seg.
the hypotenuse and
the segment of the B
hypotenuse adjacent

AC AB

AB AD
Ex:
A C
AC BC D

BC DC
Find the geometric mean between
Find c, d, and e.
Find e and f . (round to the nearest tenth if necessary)
8.2 Pythagorean Theorem and
its Converse
 When and why do you use the
Pythagorean Theorem?
 When: given a right triangle and the length
of any two sides
 Why: to find the length of one side of a
right triangle
 When do you use the Pythagorean
Theorem Converse?
 When: you want to determine if a set of
sides will make a right triangle
 Pythagorean Theorem:
a b  c
2 2 2
a c a2 + b2 < c2 obtuse
a2 + b2 > c2 acute
b
 When c is unknown:
 When a or b is unknown:

5 x
7 14

3
x
  Converse: the sum of  Pythagorean Triple:
the squares of 2  3 lengths with
sides of a triangle measures that are all
equal the square of whole numbers &
the longest side that always make a
right triangle
 8, 15, 16

 3, 4, 5
 5, 12, 13

 7, 24, 25

 9, 40, 41

Not =, so not a right triangle

A. Find x.
B. Find x.
A. Determine whether 9, 12, and 15 can
be the measures of the sides of a
triangle. If so, classify the triangle as
acute, right, or obtuse. Justify your
answer.
B. Determine whether 10, 11, and 13 can
be the measures of the sides of a
triangle. If so, classify the triangle as
acute, right, or obtuse. Justify your
answer.
 8.3 Special Right Triangles
 30-60-90
 Short leg is across from
the 30 degree angle shortleg  3  longleg
 Long leg is across from shortleg  2  hypotenuse
the 60 degree angle

Ex:

14
x

30

y
  45-45-90
 The legs are leg  2  hypotenuse
congruent

Ex: Ex:

6
x x

x 8
A. B.
Find x and y.
Find x and y.
Find x and y.
The length of the diagonal of a square is
centimeters. Find the perimeter of the
square.
8.4 Trigonometry In Right
triangles
A. Express sin L, cos L, and tan L as a
fraction and as a decimal to the nearest
ten thousandth.
Find the value to the ten
thousandth.
 Sin 15

 Tan 67

 Cos 89.6
Find the measure of each angle to
the nearest tenth of a degree
 Cos T = .3482

 Tan R = .5555

 Sin P = .6103
Find y.
Find the height of
the triangle.
 When you need to find the angle
measure- set up the problem like normal
 Then hit the 2nd button next hit sin, cos or
tan (which ever you are using) then type in
the fraction as a division problem, hit =

Find angle P.
Find angle D.
8.5 Angles of Elevation and
Depression
 Draw a picture and solve using
trigonometry.

 Mandy is at the top of the Mighty Screamer

roller coaster. Her friend Bryn is at the
bottom of the coaster waiting for the next
ride. If the angle of depression from Mandy
to Bryn is 26 degrees and The roller
coaster is 75 ft high, what is the distance
from Mandy to Bryn?
 Mitchell is at the top of the Bridger Peak
ski run. His brother Scott is looking up
from the ski lodge. If the angle of
elevation from Scott to Mitchell is 13
degrees and the ground distance from
Scott to Mitchell is 2000 ft, What is the
length of the ski run?
 An observer located 3 km from a rocket
launch site sees a rocket at an angle of
38 degrees. How high is the rocket at
that moment?
 A kite is flying at an angle of elevation of
40 degrees. All 50 m of string have been
let out. What is the height of the kite?
 Two buildings on opposite sides of the
street are 40 m apart. From the top of
the taller building, which is 185 m tall,
the angle of depression to the top of the
shorter building is 13 degrees. How high
is the shorter building?