LESSON 6

Angles of Elevation and D

sion

LESSON 6 

Angles of Elevation and Depression

Now we get a chance to apply all of our newly acquired skills to real-life applica-
tions, otherwise known as word problems. Let’s look at some elevation and depres-
sion problems. I first encountered these in a Boy Scout handbook many years ago.
There was a picture of a tree, a boy, and several lines.

Example 1

tree

  How tall is the tree?

5'

11' 30'

Separating the picture into two triangles helps to clarify our ratios.

5
θ
11   X

θ
41
We could write this as a proportion (two ratios), 5 = x ,
11 41
and solve for X.

ANGLES OF ELEVATION AND DEPRESSION - LESSON 6 59

 We can also use our trig abilities.

5 = .4545
From the “boy” triangle: tan θ =    θ = 24.44º
11

x
From the large triangle: tan 24.44º =
41

(41) (.4545) = x
Solve for X.

18.63 = x The tree is 18.63'.
When working these problems, the value of the trig ratio may be rounded and
recorded, and further calculations made on the rounded value. You may also keep
the value of the ratio in your calculator and continue without rounding the inter-
mediate step. This may yield slightly different final answers. These differences are
not significant for the purposes of this course.
It is pretty obvious that an angle of elevation measures up and an angle of
depression measures down. One of the keys to being a good problem solver is to
draw a picture using all the data given. It turns a one-dimensional group of words
into a two-dimensional picture.

Figure 1

depression

elevation  
We assume that the line where the angle begins is perfectly flat or horizontal.

Example 2
A campsite is 9.41 miles from a point directly below the mountain
top. If the angle of elevation is 12º from the camp to the top of the
mountain, how high is the mountain?
top

mountain
campsite
12º 9.41 mi

60 LESSON 6 - ANGLES OF ELEVATION AND DEPRESSION PRECALCULUS

 You can see a right triangle with the side adjacent to the 12º angle
measuring 9.41 miles. To find the height of the mountain, or the side
opposite the 12º angle, the tangent is the best choice.

height
tan 12º =
9.41 mi
(9.41) ( tan 12º ) = height
(9.41)(.2126) = height
2 miles = height

Example 2
At a point 42.3 feet from the base of a building, the angle of elevation
of the top is 75º. How tall is the building?

height
tan 75º =
42.3'
(42.3)(tan 75º ) = height
building
(42.3) (3.7321) = height
157.87 ' = height of the building
 
75º
42.3'
Practice Problems 1

1. How far from the door must a ramp begin in order to rise three feet
with an 8º angle of elevation?

2. An A-frame cabin is 26.23 feet high at the center, and the angle the
roof makes with the base is 53º15'. How wide is the base?

PRECALCULUS ANGLES OF ELEVATION AND DEPRESSION - LESSON 6 61

 Solutions 1

1. 2.
8º 3
26.23
X

tan 8º = 3
x 53º15'
x tan 8º = 3 X X
x= 3
tan 8º
3 53º 15" = 53.25º
x=
.1405 tan 53.25º = 26.23
x = 21.35 ft x
x= 26.23
tan 53.25º
x = 23.26
1.3392
x = 26.23
1.3392
x = 19.59
2x = 39.18 ft

62 LESSON 6 - ANGLES OF ELEVATION AND DEPRESSION PRECALCULUS

 Answer the questions.
6A
1. Isaac’s camp is 5,280 feet from a point directly beneath Mt. Monadnock.
What is the hiking distance along the ridge if the angle of elevation is 25º 16'?

2. How many feet higher is the top of the mountain than his campsite?

Express as a fraction.

3. csc q = 6. csc a=

4. sec q = 7. sec a= 2 31 4

5. cot q = 8. cot a= 6 3

Express as a decimal.

9. sin q = 12. sin a=

10. cos q = 13. cos a=

11. tan q = 14. tan a=

PRECALCULUS Lesson 6A 53
LESSON 6A

15. Use your answers from #9–11 to find the measure of q.

16. Use your answers from #12–14 to find the measure of a.

Solve for the lengths of the sides and the measures of the angles.

17.
α
A
12

35.4º
B

18.
29º
59
D

α
C

19. F
42.66º

E 100

20. G
α

47 H
41º32'10''

54 PRECALCULUS
 Answer the questions.
6B
1. The side of a lake has a uniform angle of elevation of 15º 30'. How far up the side
of the lake does the water rise if, during the flood season, the height of the lake
increases by 7.3 feet?

2. A building casts a shadow of 110 feet. If the angle of elevation from that point to
the top of the building is 29º 3', find the height of the building.

Express as a fraction.

3. csc q = 6. csc a=

4. sec q = 7. sec a=

5. cot q = 8. cot a= α
11
4.6

θ
Express as a decimal. 10

9. sin q = 12. sin a=

10. cos q = 13. cos a=

11. tan q = 14. tan a=

PRECALCULUS Lesson 6B 55
LESSON 6B

15. Use your answers from #9–11 to find the measure of q.

16. Use your answers from #12–14 to find the measure of a.

Solve for the lengths of the sides and the measures of the angles.

17. J α
12
18º
K

18. M
α
L
59
29º

19.
67º N
10.25
θ
P

20. 6
θ

2 13
Q
α

56 PRECALCULUS
 Answer the questions.
6C
1. From a point 120 feet from the base of a church, the angles of elevation of the top
of the building and the top of a cross on the building are 38º and 43º respectively.
Find the height to the top of the cross. (The ground is flat.)

2. Find the height of the building as well as the height of the cross by itself.

Express as a fraction.

3. csc q = 6. csc a=

4. sec q = 7. sec a=
α
15
5. cot q = 8. cot a= 7.1

θ
13.2
Express as a decimal.

9. sin q = 12. sin a=

10. cos q = 13. cos a=

11. tan q = 14. tan a=

PRECALCULUS Lesson 6C 57
LESSON 6C

Results for #15 and 16 may vary slightly from the solutions, depending on when steps were rounded.

15. Use your answers from #9–11 to find the measure of q.

16. Use your answers from #12–14 to find the measure of a.

Solve for the lengths of the sides and the measures of the angles.

17. S
40º

R
25

18.
α
T
88

36.2º
U

19.
α
V
150

51.9º
W

20.
α

95
X

θ
7

58 PRECALCULUS
 Answer the questions.
6D
1. A campsite is 12.88 miles from a point directly below Mt. Adams. If the angle
of elevation is 15.5º from the camp to the top of the mountain, how high is
the mountain?

2. At a point 60.7 feet from the base of a building, the angle of elevation from that
point to the top is 64.75º. How tall is the building?

Express as a fraction.

3. csc q = 6. csc a=

4. sec q = 7. sec a=

5. cot q = 8. cot a= α

25
X

Express as a decimal. θ
18.33
9. sin q = 12. sin a=

10. cos q = 13. cos a=

11. tan q = 14. tan a=

PRECALCULUS Lesson 6D 59
LESSON 6D

15. Use your answers from #9–11 to find the measure of q.

16. Use your answers from #12–14 to find the measure of a.

Solve for the lengths of the sides and the measures of the angles.

17. 2.24
α

2
Y

18. 10.5
α

A
Z 49.2º

19.
29.07º

B
56

α
C

20.
α
D 10

θ
14

60 PRECALCULUS
 6H
Here are some more applications of trig functions. In some of these you may need to find a missing side,
and in others a missing angle.

Use the skills you have learned so far to answer the questions. Always begin by making a drawing and labeling
the known information.

1. A girl who is 1.6 meters tall stands on level ground. The elevation of the sun is 60°
above the horizon. What is the length of her shadow?

2. If the girl in #1 casts a shadow that is one meter long, what is the elevation
of the sun?

3. A stairway forms an angle with the floor from which it rises. This angle may be called
the angle of inclination. What is the angle of inclination of a stairway if the steps
have a tread of 20 centimeters and a rise of 16 centimeters?

Some problems will require more of your algebra skills. There are some examples of these on the next
page. The first one is done for you.

PRECALCULUS Honors 6H 61
Honors 6H

4. An observation balloon is attached to the ground at point A. On a level with A and

in the same straight line, the points B and C were chosen so that BC equals 100
meters. From the points B and C, the angle of elevation of the balloon is 40º and 30º
respectively. Find the height of the balloon.

 First, make a drawing. There’s not enough information

x
to find x using either the angle at B or the angle at C.

40º 30º
However, we can make two equations using x and y.
A y B 100m C
x x
  Equation 1  tan 40º = Equation 2  tan 30º =
y y + 100

 Replace tan 40º with its ratio and solve for x in Equation 1.
 .8391 = x or x = .8391y
y
x
 Replace tan 30º with its ratio in in Equation 2.    .5774 =
y + 100
.8391y
    Substitute value of x from Equation 1 in Equation 2.   .5774 =
y + 100

  Solve for y. .5774(y + 100) = .8391y

.5774 y + 57.74 = .8391y
57.74 = .2617y
y = 220.6 (rounded)

  Solve for x, which is the height of the balloon. x = .8391y

x = .8391 (220.6) = 185.1 m

5. Tom wished to find the width of a river. He observed a tree directly across the river
on the opposite bank. The angle of elevation to the top of the tree was 32º. Then
Tom moved directly back from the bank 50 meters and found that the angle of
elevation to the top of the tree was 21º. What is the width of the river?

6. In the side of a hill that slopes upward at an angle of 32º, a tunnel is bored sloping
downward at an angle of 12º15' from the horizontal. How far below the surface of
the hill is a point 38 meters down the tunnel?

62 PRECALCULUS
test

Use for #1–4: Devan stands 926 meters from

a point directly below the peak of a mountain.
The angle of elevation between Devan and the
top of the mountain is 42°.
Use for #5–8: From a point 80 meters from the
6
base of a building to the top of the building, the
angle of elevation is 51°. From the same point to
the top of a flag staff on the building, the angle
of elevation is 54°.

1. Which equation can be used to find 5. What equation can be used to find
the height of the mountain (x)? the combined height (y) of building
and flagpole?
A. sin 42º = x/926
B. tan 42º = 926/x A. y = 80 tan 51º
C. cos 48º = 926/x B. y = 80 sin 54º
D. tan 42º = x/926 C. y = 80 tan 54º
D. y = tan 51º
80

2. What is the height of the mountain? 6. What is the height of the building
alone?
A. 833.8 m
B. 1,028.4 m A. 98.8 m
C. 619.6 m B. 110.1 m
D. 1,383.9 m C. 64.8 m
D. 58.1 m
3. A tower 50 meters high is built on
top of the mountain. What is the
angle of elevation from Devan’s
position to the top of the tower? 7. What is the height of the flagpole
(Round decimal degrees to tenths.) alone?

A. 40º 14' 44'' A. 15.1 m

B. 43º 42' B. 45.3 m
C. 57º 15' C. 4.2 m
D. 46º 20' 08'' D. 11.3 m

4. If a bird flew from Devan’s position 8. How long must a cable be in order
to the top of the mountain, how to stretch from the observation
many meters would it travel? point to the top of the building?

A. 408.4 m A. 102.9 m
B. 1,246.1 m B. 127.1 m
C. 1,383.9 m C. 136.1 m
D. 1,280 m D. 50.3 m

PRECALCULUS Test 6 15
test 6

Use for #9–10: A car traveled a distance of 100 13. 46º 21' 02'' =
feet up a ramp to a bridge. The angle of elevation
of the ramp was 10°. A. 46.21º

9. How high was the bridge above B. 46.12º

road level?
C. 46.35º
A. 17.4 ft
B. 98.5 ft D. 46.4º
C. 10 ft
D. 100 ft

10. What is the actual distance from 14. sin α is equal to:
cos α
the beginning of the ramp to the
base of the bridge? A. tan α

A. 575 ft B. cot α
B. 98.5 ft
C. 89.4 ft C. sec α
D. 17.4 ft
D. csc α

11. 3 is the ratio for: 15. 1 is equal to:

3 cos α

A. cos 45º A. csc α

B. cos 30º B. sec α
C. tan 60º C. sin α
D. tan 30º D. cos α

12. Arcsin .8192 =

A. 1.22
B. 35º
C. 55º
D. .9999

16 PRECALCULUS
 6 3
12. sinα 6 3 .9333
12. sinα = 6 3 ≈
= ≈ .9333
2
2 3131
4
13.
13. cos
cos αα== 4 ≈ ≈ ..3592
3592
2
2 3131
L e ss o n 6 A - LESSON 6A
6 3 2.5981
14.
14. tan
tan αα== 643 ≈ ≈ 2.5981
4
15.
15. ar
arc sin ..3592
csin 3592 ≈ ≈ 21
21..05
05ºº
Lesson 6A
Lesson 6A 16.
16. arcsin ..9333
arcsin 9333 ≈ ≈ 6868..96
96ºº
5,280 B
1. cos 25º 16 ' = 17.
17. tan
tan5 54
4..6
6ºº = B
= 12
D 12
D cos 25º 16 ' = 5,280 B ( )) ((tan54.6º )) ≈ 16.89
B= = (12
12 tan54.6º ≈ 16.89
5,280
D= 12
cos 25º 16 ' sin 35..4
sin35 = 12
4ºº = A
D ≈ 5,838.77 ft A
A sin 3 5 .4 º
A sin35.4º = 12 = 12
M 12
2. tan 25º 16 ' = A
A= = sin12 ≈ 20
≈ 20..72
72
Lesson 6A 5,280 sin35
35..4
4ºº
M = (D5,280) ( tan 25º 16 ') α = 90 − 35.4º = 54.6º
α = 90 − 35.4º = 54.6º
5,280
1. cos 25ºM16≈' 2
=, 492.09 ft M D
D 18.
18. s
siin
n 61
61ºº =
= 59D
D cos 25º 16 ' = 5,280 59
3. csc θ = 2 31 = 31 (59)( ) ≈ 51
4 2 D
D= = (59 )(sin
sin 61
61ºº ) ≈ 51..6
6
25º16' D = 5,280
cos
31 =25º31
16 '3 c
4. sec θ = 2 31 = 5,280 ft = 93 cos
cos 61
61ºº =
= 59c
6 3 D ≈3 3 3 3 ft
5 , 838.77 3 9 59
c
c=
(59)) ((co
= (59 coss 6161ºº )) ≈ 28..6
≈ 28 6
5.
2. cot = º6163' == 3 3
tanθ25 M
4 52
,280 α
α= 90ºº −
= 90 29ºº =
−29 61ºº
= 61
6. csc α = M = (5,280) ( tan 25º 16 ')
93
19. tan 47
47..34
34ºº = F
F
9 19. tan = 100
M ≈ 2, 492.09 ft 100
F (100)( )(tan
tan 47
47..34
34ºº )
)
7. sec α = 31 F= = (100
3. csc θ = 2 231 = 31 F
F≈ ≈ 108
108..52 52
8. cot α = 2 2 43 2
100
4. sec θ = 9 = 31 = 31 3 = 93
31 sin
sin 42
42..66
66ºº = = 100e
6 3 3 3 3 3 3 9 e
9. sin θ = 4 ≈ .3592 e sin 42 .66 º = 1 00
e sin 42.66º = 100
5. cot θ = 26 31 3=3 3
100
4 2 e= = 100 ≈ 147.57
e sin 42.66º ≈ 147.57
10. cos θ = 6 3 ≈ .9333 sin 42.66º
93
6. csc α = 2 31 α=
α 90ºº −
= 90 42..66
−42 66ºº = 47..34
= 47 34ºº
9
11. tan θ = 4 ≈ .3849
20. ttan
an 41
41..54
54ºº == G G
7. sec α = 6 31 3 20. 47
2 47
12. sin α = 2 3 6 3 ≈ .9333 G
G= 47)) (( tan
= (( 47 tan 41 54ºº )) ≈
41..54 41..64
≈ 41 64
8. cot α = 2 31
9 47
cos 41
41..54
54ºº = = 4H7
13. cos α = 44 ≈ .3592 cos
H
9. sin θ = 2 31≈ .3592
2 31 H cos
H cos 41
41..54
54ºº = 47
= 47
47
14. tan α = 6 3 ≈ 2.5981 H= 47 ≈ 62.79
10. cos θ = 64 3 ≈ .9333 H =
cos 41..54
cos 41 54ºº ≈ 62.79
2 31
15. arcsin .3592 ≈ 21.05º α= 90ºº −
= 90 41ºº 32
−41 32 ''10
10 "" = 48ºº 27
= 48 27 ''50
50 ""
11. 4 ≈ .3849
tan θ = .9333
α
16. arcsin ≈ 68.96º θ ≈ 41 .54 º
6 3 θ ≈ 41.54º
17. tan54. º = B
12. sin α = 6 3 12 ≈ .9333
2B31= (12) ( tan54.6º ) ≈ 16.89
13. cos α = 4 ≈12 .3592
sin352.431º=
A
14. tan A sin 6.43º =≈ 12
α =35 2.5981
4
15. arcsin .3592 A =≈ 2112 .05º ≈ 20.72
sin35.4º
16. arcsin .9333 ≈ 68.96º
α = 90 − 35.4º = 54.6º
17. tan 54.6º = B
PR eCal cs
18. in 61º = D12
ulus s o lut i o n s 281
59
B = (12) ( tan54.6º ) ≈ 16.89
D = (59)(sin 61º ) ≈ 51.6
sin35.4º = 12
cos 61º = c A
59
A sin35.4º = 12
c = (59) (cos 61º ) ≈ 28.6
α = 90º −29 A º== 6112º .4º ≈ 20.72
sin35