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Trigonometry
3. 3D
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3. 3D Trigonometry
• All1.wePythagoras
need are the skills we learnt in the last two sections:
• The only difference is that is a little bit harder to spot the right-angled triangles
• But onceDraw
you spot them:
- Label them out flat
- Fill in your sides
- Work the information that you do know
- out what you don’t in the usual way!
• And if you can do that, then you will be able to tick another pretty tricky topic off your list!
Example 1
The diagram below shows a record breaking wedge of Cheddar Cheese in which rectangle PQRS
is perpendicular (at 900 to) to rectangle RSTU. The distances are shown on the diagram.
Calculate: (a) The distance QT (b) The angle QTR
S Q
2.5 m
R
T
4.9 m 7.8 m
U
Working out the answer (a):
The first thing we need to figure out is what we are actually trying to work out!
We need the line QT: P
S Q
2.5 m
R
T
4.9 m 7.8 m
U
c 84.85
c 9.211...m
Working Out TQ: P
c 91.1
c 9.54m (2dp)
Working out the answer (b): P
T 9.21 m A R
Now, because we actually know all three
lengths, we can choose! I’m going for tan!
Tan θ = o ÷ a
Tan θ = 0.27144…
15.20 (1dp)
Example 2
The diagram below shows a plan of a tent that I am trying to erect before the rain comes. OP is
a vertical pole, and O is at the very centre of the rectangle QRST. The lengths and angles are
as shown on the diagram. Calculate the height of the vertical pole OP.
48o O R
T
5m 12 m
S
1. Working Out OT:
T
You should be able to see that if we can
work out OT, we will then have a right- a ? c
angled triangle which will give us OP! 5m
So, to get started we need to use the
base of the rectangle: R
S
Well, OT is half way along the line TR 12 m b
line, so it must be… 6.5m
P c 2 52 122
c 2 25 144
H O
? c 2 169
c 169
c 13m
48 0