Chapter 2: Trigonometry

Learning Outcomes
1. Develop and apply the trigonometric ratios (sine, cosine, tangent) to solve
problems that involve right triangles

Assessment
1. Exit Slips
2. Quizzes
3. Unit Test

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Trigonometry is the study of the relationship between the sides and angles of
triangles.

The Basics
Capital letters are often used to label the vertices of a triangle.
The same lower-case letter is used to label the side opposite a vertex.

Label the triangles ABC and PQR, respectively.

Greek Letters
We often use greek letters to label angles
theta gamma
beta alpha

Sides of a Triangle
The hypotenuse is the side across from the 90° angle and is always the longest
side in the triangle.

The opposite side is the side across come the angle you have chosen to work with

The adjacent side is the side forming the angle you have chosen to work (not the
hypotenuse)

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The three primary trigonometric ratios of an acute angle in a right triangle:

opposite side adjacent side opposite side

sin   cos   tan  
hypotenuse hypotenuse adjacent side

When using SOH/CAH/TOA to solve a triangle:

1. The triangle MUST have a 90° angle
2. Select one of the other two angles to use to solve the problem
3. Identify the sides as hyp, opp, and adj
4. Select the trig ratio (sine, cosine or tangent) that can be used to solve the
problem

Examples: Determining a side length x

12 cm
x 8 in.
68°
50°

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Examples: Determining a side length where the unknown length is in the
denominator

70°
n 17°
x
28 ft
6m

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 Examples: Determining the angle

36 cm
θ
9m 12 m
53 cm

Practice #1 Problems

Page 101 # 3, 4, 5
Page 82 # 3, 4
Page 95 # 7, 8, 10
Page 75 # 5

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ANGLES of ELEVATION and DEPRESSION
object

Normally, people look straight ahead. line of

When you look up to see an object sight
above you, your line of sight is elevated
from the horizontal direction. This is angle of elevation
called the ANGLE OF ELEVATION (or you horizontal
INCLINATION).

horizontal
you angle of depression
Similarly, if you look down at an object,
line an ANGLE OF DEPRESSION is determined.
of sight
object

horizontal friend

Note: If you look up at a person, your 
angle of elevation is the same measure
as your friend’s angle of depression.
These are called “interior alternate
angles” formed by parallel lines. you
  horizontal

Angles of elevation and depression are ALWAYS

measured from a HORIZONTAL line

Textbook examples to use as a reference

Pg. 70
Pg. 73 example 3
Pg. 89
Pg. 94 example 3

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Example 1:
From a point on the ground, 15m from the base of the Richardson Building, the
angle of elevation of the top of the building is 80˚. Find the height of the building,
to the nearest metre.

15m

Example 2:
From the top of a 25m light-house, the angle of depression of a boat is 9˚.
How far is the boat from the lighthouse?

25m

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Try on your own:
An observer is sitting on a dock watching a float plane in Vancouver harbor. At a
certain time, the plane is 300 m above the water and 430 m from the observer.
Determine the angle of elevation of the plane measured from the observer to the
nearest degree

Practice #2 Worksheet

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More Word Problems

A 10 ft. ladder leans against the side of a building with its base 4 ft. from the wall.
What angle to the nearest degree, does the ladder make with the ground?

At a horizontal distance of 200 m from the base of an observation tower, the angle
between the ground and the line of sight to the top of the tower is 8°. How high is
the tower to the nearest metre?

A water bomber is flying at an altitude of 5000 ft. The plane’s radar shows that it is
8000 ft. from the target site. What is the angle of elevation of the plane measured
from the target site to the nearest degree?

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Ted and Marshall are both looking up at the Calgary tower. The Calgary tower is
191 m high. The angle of sight for Ted to the top of the tower is 85° and the angle
of sight for Marshall is 61°. What is the distance between Marshall and Ted if they
are on…
the same side of the tower?

opposite sides of the tower?

Practice #3 Problems
Pg. 76 #11, 13, 14, 15, 19
Pg. 81 #6, 8, 13
Pg. 96 #12, 13, 15, 17*
Pg. 101 #7, 9, 10, 11
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Applying Trig Ratios

Solving a triangle means determining the measures of all the angles and lengths of
the triangle.

Solve XYZ. Give all measures to the nearest tenth.

Solve DEF. Give all measures to the nearest tenth.

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A small table has the shape of a regular octagon. The
distance from one vertex to the opposite vertex,
measured through the centre of the table, is
approximately 30 cm. There is a strip of wood veneer
around the edge of the table. What is the length of this
veneer to the nearest centimetre?

Practice #4 Problems
Pg. 111-112 #6, 9, 11, 13, 15*

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Solving Problems with Multiple Triangles

Calculate the length of CD to the nearest tenth of a centimetre.

From the top of a 20 metre high building, a surveyor measured the angle of
elevation of the top of another building and the angle of depression of the base
of that building. The surveyor sketched this plan of her measurements. Determine
the height of the taller building to the nearest tenth of a metre.

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From the top of a 90 ft. observation tower, a fire ranger observes one fire due
west of the tower at an angle of 5°, and another fire due south of the tower at an
angle of depression of 2°. How far apart are the fires to the nearest foot.

On your own:
A communications tower is 35 m tall. From a point due north of the tower, Tannis
measures the angle of elevation of the top of the tower as 70°. Her brother Leif,
who is due east of the tower, measures the angle of elevation of the top of the
tower as 50°. How far apart are the students to the nearest metre?

Practice #5 Problems
Pg. 118-119 #3-5ac, 6, 8, 9, 12, 19*

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