Section 4.

8 • Applications and Models 97

Name______________________________________________
Section 4.8 Applications and Models

Objective: In this lesson you learned how to use trigonometric functions

to solve real-life problems.

Important Vocabulary Define each term or concept.

Simple harmonic motion The vibration, oscillation, or rotation of an object under

ideal conditions such that the object’s uniform and regular motion can be described by
a sine or cosine function.

I. Applications Involving Right Triangles (Pages 353−354) What you should learn
How to solve real-life
Example 1: A ladder leaning against a house reaches 24 feet problems involving right
up the side of the house. The ladder makes a 60° triangles
angle with the ground. How far is the base of the
ladder from the house? Round your answer to two
decimal places.

13.86 feet

II. Trigonometry and Bearings (Page 355)

What you should learn
In surveying and navigation, a directional bearing measures . . . How to solve real-life
problems involving
the acute angle that a path or line of sight makes with a fixed directional bearings
north-south line.

The bearing N 70° E means . . . 70 degrees east of north.

Example 2: Write the bearing for the path shown in the

diagram below.
N
S 60° W

W E
30°

Larson/Hostetler Precalculus/Precalculus with Limits Notetaking Guide IAE

Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
98 Chapter 4 • Trigonometry

III. Harmonic Motion (Pages 356−358) What you should learn

How to solve real-life
A point that moves on a coordinate line is said to be in simple problems involving
harmonic motion if . . . its distance d from the origin at harmonic motion
time t is given by either d = a sin ωt or d = a cos ωt, where a and
ω are real numbers such that ω > 0.

The simple harmonic motion has amplitude |a| , period

2π/ω , and frequency ω/(2π) .

Example 3: Given the equation for simple harmonic motion

t
d = 3 sin , find:
2
(a) the maximum displacement,
(b) the frequency of the simple harmonic motion,
and
(c) the period of the simple harmonic motion.

(a) 3
(b) 1/(4π) ≈ 0.0796 cycle per unit of time
(c) 4π

y y y

x x x

Homework Assignment

Page(s)

Exercises

Larson/Hostetler Precalculus/Precalculus with Limits Notetaking Guide IAE

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