Triangle trigonometry

4
syllabus reference eference
Topic:
Periodic functions and applications

In this chapter chapter

4A Calculating trigonometric ratios 4B Finding an unknown side 4C Finding angles 4D Applications of right-angled triangles 4E Using the sine rule to nd side lengths 4F Using the sine rule to nd angle sizes 4G The cosine rule

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Introduction
Rick is standing on the southern side of the Grand Canyon, wondering how wide it is. Through his binoculars, Rick sights a lookout on the northern side of the canyon, bearing N5E. He then heads 8.1 km east along the canyons southern rim and notes that the bearing of the lookout is now N12W. Using this information, Rick is able to calculate the width of the Grand Canyon. After studying this chapter you will be able to make this calculation for yourself, as well as being able to solve many other practical problems about sides and angles within a triangle.

Calculating trigonometric ratios

From previous years work you should be familiar with Pythagoras theorem. This enabled us to nd the length of one side of a right-angled triangle given the length of the other two. To use Pythagoras theorem, we had to recognise the hypotenuse in a right-angled triangle. In trigonometry, we need to be able to name the two shorter sides as well. We do this with reference to a given hypotenuse angle, and label them opposite and adjacent. They are the opposite sides opposite and adjacent to the given angle. The diagram shows the sides labelled with respect to the angle, . adjacent

Looking at the tangent ratio

The tangent ratio is a ratio of sides in similar I right-angled triangles, such as those in the G diagram. BAC is common to each triangle E and is equal to 30. We are going to look at the ratio of the opposite side to the adjacent side in each triangle. You can do this either on your calculator or by completing the spreadsheet H F D Tangent on your Maths Quest CD-ROM. Complete each of the following measurements and calculations. BC 1 a BC = mm b AB = mm c ------- = AB 2 a DE = 3 a FG = 4 a HI = mm mm mm b AD = b AF = b AH = mm mm mm DE c -------- = AD FG c ------- = AF HI c -------- = AH

C A

EXCE

reads L Sp he

Tangent

et

Remember that BAC is common to each triangle. In each of the above, part c is the ratio of the opposite side to the adjacent side of BAC. What do you notice about each of these answers?

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Trigonometry uses the ratio of side lengths to calculate the lengths of sides and the size of angles. The ratio of the opposite side to the adjacent side is called the tangent ratio. This ratio is xed for any particular angle. The tangent ratio for any angle, , can be found using the result: opposite side tan = -----------------------------adjacent side In the investigation on the previous page, we found that for a 30 angle the ratio was 0.58. We can nd a more accurate value for the tangent ratio on a calculator by pressing tan and entering 30. For all calculations in trigonometry you will need to make sure that your calculator is in DEGREES MODE. For most calculators you can check this by looking for a DEG in the display. When measuring angles: 1 degree = 60 minutes 1 minute = 60 seconds You need to be able to enter angles using both degrees and minutes into your calculator. Most calculators use a DMS (Degrees, Minutes, Seconds) button or a button. Check with your teacher to see how to do this.

WORKED Example 1
Using your calculator, nd the following, correct to 3 decimal places. 8 a tan 60 b 15 tan 75 c ----------------d tan 4932 tan 69 THINK a Press
tan

WRITE/DISPLAY and enter 60.

a
tan ,

tan 60 = 1.732

b Enter 15, press enter 75. c Enter 8, press enter 69.

and

b 15 tan 75 = 55.981

and

tan ,

8 ---------------- = 3.071 tan 69

d Press tan , enter 49, press DMS , enter 32, press DMS .

d tan 4932 = 1.172

The tangent ratio is used to solve problems involving the opposite side and the adjacent side of a right-angled triangle. The tangent ratio does not allow us to solve problems that involve the hypotenuse. The sine ratio (abbreviated to sin) is the name given to the ratio of the opposite side and the hypotenuse.

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Looking at the sine ratio

EXCE

reads L Sp he

Sine

The tangent ratio is the ratio of the opposite side and the adjacent side in a rightangled triangle. The sine ratio is the ratio of the opposite side and the hypotenuse. Look back to the right-angled triangles used in the tangent investigation on page 150. Complete each of the following measurements and calculations by using your calculator or the spreadsheet Sine on your Maths Quest CD-ROM. As we saw earlier, BAC is common to all of these similar triangles and so in this exercise, we look at the ratio of the side opposite BAC to the hypotenuse of each triangle. BC 1 a BC = mm b AC = mm c ------- = AC 2 a DE = 3 a FG = 4 a HI = mm mm mm b AE = b AG = b AI = mm mm mm DE c ------- = AE FG c -------- = AG HI c ----- = AI

WORKED Example 2
Find, correct to 3 decimal places: a sin 57 THINK a Press
sin

b Enter 9, press c Enter 18, press

d Enter 9.6, press and sin , enter 26, press DMS , enter 12, press DMS .

et

In this exercise, part c is the ratio of the opposite side to BAC to the hypotenuse. You should again notice that the answers are the same (or very close, allowing for measurement error). In any right-angled triangle with equal angles, the ratio of the opposite side to the hypotenuse will remain the same, regardless of the size of the triangle. The formula for the sine ratio is: opposite side sin = -----------------------------hypotenuse The value of the sine ratio for any angle is found using the sin function on the calculator. sin 30 = 0.5 Check this on your calculator.

b 9 sin 45

18 c ----------------sin 44

d 9.6 sin 2612. WRITE/DISPLAY

and enter 57.

a
sin , enter 45. sin , enter 44.

sin 57 = 0.839 9 sin 45 = 6.364 18 ---------------- = 25.912 sin 44

and and

b c

d 9.6 sin 2612 = 4.238

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A third trigonometric ratio is the cosine ratio. This ratio compares the length of the adjacent side and the hypotenuse.

Looking at the cosine ratio

Look back to the right-angled triangles used in the tangent investigation on page 150. Complete each of the following measurements and calculations. You may do so by using the spreadsheet Cosine on your Maths Quest CD-ROM. AB 1 a AB = mm b AC = mm c ------- = AC AD 2 a AD = mm b AE = mm c -------- = AE AF 3 a AF = mm b AG = mm c -------- = AG AH 4 a AH = mm b AI = mm c -------- = AI Again for part c, you should get the same answer for each triangle. In each case, this is the cosine ratio of the common angle BAC. The cosine ratio is found using the formula: adjacent side cos = -----------------------------hypotenuse To calculate the cosine ratio for a given angle on your calculator, use the cos function. On your calculator check the calculation: cos 30 = 0.866
Cosine
E

L Spread XCE

sheet

WORKED Example 3
Find, correct to 3 decimal places: a cos 27 THINK a Press
cos

b 6 cos 55

21.3 c ----------------cos 74

4.5 d ------------------------- . cos 8246 WRITE/DISPLAY

and enter 27.

a
cos , enter 55. cos , enter

cos 27 = 0.891 6 cos 55 = 3.441 21.3 ----------------- = 77.275 cos 74

b Enter 6, press c Enter 21.3, press 74. d Enter 4.5, press

DMS .

and

b c

and

and

cos ,

enter 82, press DMS , enter 46, press

4.5 d ------------------------- = 35.740 cos 8246

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Similarly, if we are given the sin, cos or tan of an angle, we are able to calculate the size of that angle using the calculator. We do this using the inverse functions. On most calculators these are the 2nd function of the sin, cos and tan functions and are denoted sin1, cos1 and tan1. On most calculators the shift key is used as shown in the following worked examples.

Find , correct to the nearest degree, given that sin = 0.738. THINK
1 2

WORKED Example 4

WRITE/DISPLAY

Press SHIFT [sin1] and enter .738. Round your answer to the nearest degree.

= 48

So far, we have dealt only with angles that are whole degrees. You need to be able to make calculations using minutes as well. On most calculators, you will use the DMS (Degrees, Minutes, Seconds) function or the function.

Given that tan = 1.647, calculate to the nearest minute. THINK

1 2

WORKED Example 5

WRITE/DISPLAY

Press SHIFT [tan1] and enter 1.647. Convert your answer to degrees and minutes by pressing DMS .

= 5844

remember remember
1. The tangent ratio is the ratio of the opposite side and the adjacent side. opposite side tan = -----------------------------adjacent side 2. The sine ratio is the ratio of the opposite side and the hypotenuse. opposite side sin = -----------------------------hypotenuse 3. The cosine ratio is the ratio of the adjacent side and the hypotenuse. adjacent side cos = -----------------------------hypotenuse 4. The value of the trigonometric ratios can be found using the sin, cos and tan functions on your calculator. 5. The angle can be found when given the trigonometric ratio using the sin1, cos1 and tan1 functions on your calculator.

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4A
WORKED

Calculating trigonometric ratios

SkillS

Example

1 Calculate the value of each of the following, correct to 3 decimal places. 8.6 1 a tan 57 b 9 tan 63 d tan 3319 c ---------------tan 12 2 Calculate the value of each of the following, correct to 3 decimal places. 14.5 48 2 a sin 37 b 9.3 sin 13 c ---------------d -----------------------sin 72 sin 6740 3 Calculate the value of each of the following, correct to 3 decimal places. 6 3 a cos 45 b 0.25 cos 9 d 5.9 cos 23 c ----------------cos 24 4 Calculate the value of each of the following, correct to 4 signicant gures. a sin 30 b cos 15 c tan 45 d 48 tan 85 e 128 cos 60 f 9.35 sin 8 4.5 0.5 15 g ----------------h ---------------i ---------------cos 32 tan 20 sin 72 5 Calculate the value of each of the following, correct to 2 decimal places. a sin 2438 b tan 5721 c cos 8440 d 9 cos 5530 e 4.9 sin 3550 f 2.39 tan 859 19 49.6 0.84 g ------------------------h ------------------------i --------------------tan 6745 cos 4725 sin 755

HEET

4.1

WORKED

Example

WORKED

Example

WORKED

Example

6 Find , correct to the nearest degree, given that sin = 0.167. 7 Find , correct to the nearest degree, given that: b cos = 0.173 a sin = 0.698 c tan = 1.517.

WORKED

Example

8 Find , correct to the nearest minute, given that cos = 0.058. 9 Find , correct to the nearest minute, given that: a tan = 0.931 b cos = 0.854 c sin = 0.277.

Finding an unknown side

We can use the trigonometric ratios to nd the length of one side of a right-angled triangle if we know the length of another side and an angle. Consider the triangle at right. In this triangle we are asked to nd the length of the opposite side and have been given the length of the adjacent side.
hyp x opp 30 14 cm adj

SkillS

HEET

4.2

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opposite x We know from the formula that: tan = ------------------- . In this example, tan 30 = ----- . From adjacent 14 our calculator we know that tan 30 = 0.577. We can set up an equation that will allow us to nd the value of x. opp tan = -------adj x tan 30 = ----14 x = 14 tan 30 8.083 cm

WORKED Example 6
Use the tangent ratio to nd the value of x in the triangle at right, correct to 2 decimal places. THINK
1

h 55 17 m

WRITE

Label the sides of the triangle opp, adj and hyp.

hyp 55 17 cm adj

h opp

2 3 4 5

Write the tangent formula. Substitute for (55) and the adjacent side (17 m). Make x the subject of the equation. Calculate and round to 2 decimal places.

opp tan = -------adj x tan 55 = ----17 x = 17 tan 55 24.28 cm

In the example above, we were told to use the tangent ratio. In practice, we need to be able to look at a problem and then decide if the solution is found using the sin, cos or tan ratio. To do this we need to examine the three formulas. opposite side tan = -----------------------------adjacent side We use this formula when we are nding either the opposite or adjacent side and are given the length of the other. opposite side sin = -----------------------------hypotenuse The sin ratio is used when nding the opposite side or the hypotenuse and we are given the length of the other. adjacent side cos = -----------------------------hypotenuse The cos ratio is for problems where we are nding the adjacent side or the hypotenuse and are given the length of the other. To make the decision we need to label the sides of the triangle and make a decision based on these labels.

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WORKED Example 7
Find the length of the side marked x, correct to 2 decimal places. THINK
1

24 m 50

WRITE
hyp 24 m 50 adj

Label the sides of the triangle.

x opp

x is the opposite side and 24 m is the hypotenuse, therefore use the sin formula. Substitute for and the hypotenuse. Make x the subject of the equation. Calculate and round to 2 decimal places.

opp sin = -------hyp x sin 50 = ----24 x = 24 sin 50 18.39 m

3 4 5

To remember each of the formulas more easily, we can use this acronym: SOHCAHTOA We may pronounce this acronym as Sock ca toe her. The initials of the acronym represent the three trigonometric formulas. opp adj opp sin = -------cos = -------tan = -------hyp hyp adj Care needs to be taken at the substitution stage. In the above examples, the unknown side was the numerator in the fraction, hence we multiplied to nd the answer. If after substitution, the unknown side is in the denominator, the nal step is done by division.

WORKED Example 8
Find the length of the side marked z in the triangle at right. THINK
1

2315'

z 12.5 m

WRITE
hyp z 12.5 m adj

Label the sides opp, adj and hyp.

2315'

opp

Choose the cosine ratio because we are nding the hypotenuse and have been given the adjacent side. Write the formula. Substitute for and the adjacent side. adj cos = -------hyp 12.5 cos 2315 = --------z
Continued over page

3 4

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THINK
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WRITE z cos 2315 = 12.5 12.5 z = ------------------------cos 2315 13.60 m

Make z the subject of the equation.

Calculate and round off appropriately.

Trigonometry is used to solve many practical problems. In these cases, it is necessary to draw a diagram to represent the problem and then use trigonometry to solve the problem. With written problems that require you to draw the diagram, it is necessary to give the answer in words.

WORKED Example 9
A ying fox is used in an army training camp. The ying fox is supported by a cable that runs from the top of a cliff face to a point 100 m from the base of the cliff. The cable makes a 15 angle with the horizontal. Find the length of the cable used to support the ying fox. THINK
1

WRITE
f 15 100 m

Draw a diagram and show information.

Label the sides of the triangle opp, adj and hyp. Choose the cosine ratio because we are nding the hypotenuse and have been given the adjacent side. Write the formula. Substitute for and the adjacent side. Make f the subject of the equation. adj cos = -------hyp 100 cos 15 = -------f f cos 15 = 100 100 f = ----------------cos 15 103.5 m The cable is approximately 103.5 m long.

5 6

7 8

Calculate and round off appropriately. Give a written answer.

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remember remember
1. Trigonometry can be used to nd a side in a right-angled triangle when we are given the length of one side and the size of an angle. 2. The trig formulas are: opp adj cos = -------sin = -------hyp hyp opp tan = -------adj

3. Take care to choose the correct trigonometric ratio for each question. 4. Substitute carefully and note the change in the calculation, depending upon whether the unknown side is in the numerator or denominator. 5. Before using your calculator, check that it is in degrees mode. 6. Be sure that you know how to enter degrees and minutes into your calculator. 7. Problem questions will require you to draw a diagram and give a written answer.

4B

Finding an unknown side

SkillS

1 Label the sides of each of the following triangles, with respect to the angle marked with the pronumeral. a b c

HEET

4.3

WORKED

Example

2 Use the tangent ratio to nd the length of the side marked x (correct to 1 decimal place).
71 51 mm

3 Use the sine ratio to nd the length of the side marked a (correct to 2 decimal places).

13 m 23

4 Use the cosine ratio to nd the length of the side marked d (correct to 3 signicant gures).
35 cm d 31

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Example

5 The following questions use the tan, sin or cos ratios in their solution. Find the size of the side marked with the pronumeral, correct to 3 signicant gures.
a
x 13 cm 68

b
49 48 m y

c
12.5 km 41 z

WORKED

Example

6 Find the length of the side marked with the pronumeral in each of the following (correct to 1 decimal place).
a
21 t

b
p 87 mm 77

q 36 8.2 m

4.8 m

SkillS

HEET

4.4

7 Find the length of the side marked with the pronumeral in each of the following (correct to 3 signicant gures).
a
a 39 2.3 m 23

b
b 0.85 km

x 76 8.5 km

d
m 116 mm

f x

64.75 m 13

16.75 cm 11

g
44.3 m 83 x

g 20 15.75 km

i
849'

2.34 m

q 6032' 84.6 km

k
t 7519' 21.4 m

r 26.8 cm 2932'

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8 multiple choice Look at the diagram at right and state which of the following is correct. 9.2 A x = 9.2 sin 69 B x = ---------------sin 69 9.2 C x = 9.2 cos 69 D x = ----------------cos 69 E To nd x you will need the length of the opposite side. 9 multiple choice Study the triangle at right and state which of the following is correct. A tan = D sin =
WORKED

x 69 9.2

17 15 8

8 ----15 8 ----15

B tan = E cos =

15 ----8 8 ----17

C sin =

15 ----17

Example

10 A tree casts a 3.6 m shadow when the suns angle of elevation is 59. Calculate the height of the tree, correct to the nearest metre. 9 11 A 10 m ladder just reaches to the top of a wall when it is leaning at 65 to the ground. How far from the foot of the wall is the ladder (correct to 1 decimal place)? 12 The diagram at right shows the paths of two ships, A and B, after they have left port. If ship B sends a distress signal, how far must ship A sail to give assistance (to the nearest kilometre)?
Port 60 23 km B A

13 A rectangle 13.5 cm wide has a diagonal that makes a 24 angle with the horizontal. a Draw a diagram of this situation. b Calculate the length of the rectangle, correct to 1 decimal place. 14 A wooden gate has a diagonal brace built in for support. The gate stands 1.4 m high and the diagonal makes a 60 angle with the horizontal. a Draw a diagram of the gate. b Calculate the length that the diagonal brace needs to be. 15 The wire support for a agpole makes a 70 angle with the ground. If the support is 3.3 m from the base of the agpole, calculate the length of the wire support (correct to 2 decimal places). 16 A ship drops anchor vertically with an anchor line 60 m long. After one hour the anchor line makes a 15 angle with the vertical. a Draw a diagram of this situation. b Calculate the depth of water, correct to the nearest metre. c Calculate the distance that the ship has drifted, correct to 1 decimal place.

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Finding angles
In this chapter so far, we have concerned ourselves with nding side lengths. We are also able to use trigonometry to nd the sizes of angles when we have been given side lengths. We need to reverse our previous processes. Consider the triangle at right. 10 cm We want to nd the size of the angle marked . 5 cm opp Using the formula sin = -------- we know that in this triangle hyp sin = =
1

5 ----10 1 -2

= 0.5 We then calculate sin (0.5) to nd that = 30. As with all trigonometry it is important that you have your calculator set to degrees mode for this work.

Find the size of angle , correct to the nearest degree, in the triangle at right. THINK
1

WORKED Example 10
Label the sides of the triangle and choose the tan ratio.

4.3 m

6.5 m

WRITE

hyp

4.3 opp

6.5 adj

opp tan = -------adj

2

Substitute for the opposite and adjacent sides in the triangle and simplify. Make the subject of the equation. Calculate and round off to the nearest degree.

4.3 = -----6.5 0.6615

3 4

= tan1(0.6615)
33

In many cases we will need to calculate the size of an angle, correct to the nearest minute. The same method for nding the solution is used; however, you will need to use your calculator to convert to degrees and minutes.

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Find the size of the angle on the right, correct to the nearest minute. THINK
1

WORKED Example 11
Label the sides of the triangle and choose the sin ratio.

4.6 cm

WRITE
opp 4.6 cm adj hyp 7.1 cm

7.1 cm

Substitute for the opposite side and adjacent in the triangle and simplify. Make the subject of the equation. Calculate and convert your answer to degrees and minutes.

3 4

opp sin = -------hyp 4.6 = -----7.1 0.6479 = sin1(0.6479) 4323

The same methods can be used to solve problems. As with nding sides, we set the question up by drawing a diagram of the situation.

WORKED Example 12
A ladder is leant against a wall. The foot of the ladder is 4 m from the base of the wall and the ladder reaches 10 m up the wall. Calculate the angle that the ladder makes with the ground. THINK
1

WRITE

Draw a diagram and label the sides.

opp 10 m hyp

4m adj
2

Choose the tangent ratio and write the formula. Substitute for the opposite and adjacent side, then simplify.

opp tan = -------adj

4 5 6

10 = ----4 = 2.5 = tan1(2.5) Make the subject of the equation. Calculate and round to the nearest minute. = 6812 Give a written answer. The ladder makes an angle of 6812 with the ground.

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remember remember
1. Make sure that the calculator is in degrees mode. 2. To nd an angle given the trig ratio, press SHIFT and then the appropriate ratio button. 3. Be sure to know how to get your calculator to display an answer in degrees and minutes. When rounding off minutes, check if the number of seconds is greater than 30. 4. When solving triangles remember the SOHCAHTOA rule to choose the correct formula 5. In written problems draw a diagram and give an answer in words.

4C
a
7m

Finding angles

1 Use the tangent ratio to nd the size of the angle marked with the pronumeral in each of the following, correct to the nearest degree.
b c
25 mm

162 mm

12 m

11 m

3m

2 Use the sine ratio to nd the size of the angle marked with the pronumeral in each of the following, correct to the nearest minute.
a
13 m 24 m

4.6 m

9.7 km

6.5 m

5.6 km

3 Use the cosine ratio to nd the size of the angle marked with the pronumeral in each of the following, correct to the nearest minute.
a
15 cm

b
4.6 m 2.6 m

c
27.8 cm

9 cm 19.5 cm

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WORKED

Example

10

4 In the following triangles, you will need to use all three trig ratios. Find the size of the angle marked , correct to the nearest degree.
a
11 cm

15 cm

c
9 cm

14 cm

7 cm

8 cm

3.6 m

e
196 mm

32 mm

26.8 m 14.9 m

9.2 m

WORKED

Example

11

5 In each of the following nd the size of the angle marked , correct to the nearest minute.
a

30 m 63 cm

c
0.6 m

2.5 m

19.2 m

10 cm
3.5 m

e
8.3 m 16.3 m

18.9 m

6.3 m

18.5 m

6 multiple choice Look at the triangle drawn at right. Which of the statements below is correct? A ABC = 30 B ABC = 60 C CAB = 30 D ABC = 45 E CAB = 45 7 multiple choice 3 The exact value of sin = ------ . The angle = 2 A 15 B 30 C 45
WORKED

A 5 cm C 10 cm

D 60

E 90

Example

12

8 A 10 m ladder leans against a 6 m high wall. Find the angle that the ladder makes with the horizontal, correct to the nearest degree.

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9 A kite is ying on a 40 m string. The kite is ying 10 m away from the vertical as shown in the gure at right. Find the angle the string makes with the horizontal, correct to the nearest minute. 40 m

kite

10 m

10 A ships compass shows a course due east of the port from which it sails. After sailing 10 nautical miles, it is found that the ship is 1.5 nautical miles off course as shown in the gure below.
10 nm 1.5 nm

Find the error in the compass reading, correct to the nearest minute. 11 The diagram below shows a footballers shot at goal.
7m

30 m

By dividing the isosceles triangle in half calculate, to the nearest degree, the angle within which the footballer must kick to get the ball to go between the posts.

12 A golfer hits the ball 250 m, but 20 m off centre. Calculate the angle at which the ball deviated from a straight line, correct to the nearest minute.

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Applications of right-angled triangles

The principles of trigonometry have been used throughout the ages, from the construction of ancient Egyptian pyramids through to modern-day architecture, as well as for measuring distances and heights which are either inaccessible or impractical. Two important applications of right-angled triangles involve: 1. angles of elevation and depression, and 2. bearings.

Angles of elevation and depression

Angles of elevation and depression are employed when dealing with directions which require us to look up and down respectively. An angle of elevation is the angle between the horizontal and an object which is higher than the observer (for example, the top of a mountain or agpole). An angle of depression is the angle between the horizontal and an object which is lower than the observer (for example, a boat at sea when the observer is on a cliff). Unless otherwise stated, the angle of elevation or depression is measured and drawn from the horizontal. Angles of elevation and depression are each measured from the horizontal. When solving problems involving angles of elevation and depression, it is best always to draw a diagram. The angle of elevation is equal to the angle of depression since they are alternate Z angles.
E D and E are alternate angles D=E

Angle of elevation

Angle of depression

Li

ne

of

sig

ht

Li

ne

of

h sig

WORKED Example 13
From a cliff 50 metres high, the angle of depression of a boat at sea is 12. How far is the boat from the base of the cliff? THINK
1

WRITE
12 hyp 12 adj x 50 m opp

Draw a diagram and label all the given information. Also, label the sides of the triangle.

Choose the tangent ratio because we are nding the adjacent side and have been given the opposite side.

opp tan = -------adj

Continued over page

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THINK
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WRITE 50 tan 12 = ----x x tan 12 = 50 50 x = ----------------tan 12 235.23 The boat is 235.23 m away from the base of the cliff.

Substitute for and the opposite side. Make x the subject of the equation.

5 6

Calculate and round off appropriately. Give a written answer.

From a rescue helicopter 1800 m above the ocean, the angles of depression of two shipwreck survivors are 60 (survivor 1) and 40 (survivor 2). a Draw a labelled diagram which represents the situation. b Calculate how far apart the two survivors are. THINK WRITE a Draw a diagram and label all the given a Helicopter information. Also, label the sides of the triangles.
opp hyp hyp S2 40 adj 60 S1 1800

WORKED Example 14

b For survivor number 1:

1

Choose the tangent ratio because we are nding the adjacent side and have been given the opposite side. Substitute for and the opposite side. Make x the subject of the equation.

b Let x represent the horizontal distance from the helicopter to a survivor. opp tan = -------adj 1800 tan 60 = ----------x x tan 60 = 1800 1800 x = ----------------tan 60 1039.23 m opp tan = -------adj 1800 tan 40 = ----------x x tan 40 = 1800 1800 x = ----------------tan 40

2 3

Calculate and round off appropriately.

For survivor number 2: 1 Choose the tangent ratio because we are nding the adjacent side and have been given the opposite side.
2 3

Substitute for and the opposite side. Make x the subject of the equation.

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THINK
4 5 6

WRITE 2145.16 m Distance apart = 2145.16 1039.23 = 1105.93 The two survivors are 1105.93 m apart.
N 150 T

Calculate and round off appropriately. Determine the distance between the two survivors. Give a written answer.

Bearings
Bearings measure the direction of one object from another. There are two systems used for describing bearings. True bearings are measured in a clockwise direction, starting from north (0 T).

Compass bearing equivalent is S30E N N 20 W E W 20

Conventional or compass bearings are measured rst, relative to north or south; then, relative to east or west.

S S N20W S70E True bearing equivalent True bearing equivalent is 340 T is 110 T

The two systems are interchangeable. For example, a bearing of 240 T is the same as S60W. When solving questions involving direction, always start with a diagram showing the basic compass points: north, south, east and west.

W 240 T S

W 60 S S60W

WORKED Example 15
A ship sails 40 km in a direction of N52W. How far west of the starting point is it? THINK WRITE 1 Draw a diagram of the situation, labelling N opp x each of the compass points and the given information. Also, label the sides of the hyp 40 adj hyp triangle. km 52
W S
2

Choose the sine ratio as we are nding the opposite side and have been given the hypotenuse.

opp sin = -------hyp

Continued over page

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THINK
3 4 5 6

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WRITE x sin 52 = ----40 40 sin 52 = x x = 40 sin 52 31.52 The ship is 31.52 km west of the starting point.

Substitute for and the hypotenuse. Make x the subject of the equation. Calculate and round appropriately. Give a written answer.

WORKED Example 16
A ship sails 10 km east, then 4 km south. What is its bearing from its starting point? THINK WRITE N 1 Draw a diagram of the situation, labelling adj each of the compass points and the given 10 km opp information. Also, label the sides of the 4 km hyp triangle.
S
2

Choose the tangent ratio, as we have been given the opposite and adjacent sides. Substitute for opposite and adjacent. Make the subject of the equation.

opp tan = -------adj 4 tan = ----10

4 5 6

4 = tan1 ----- 10 Calculate and round to the nearest minute. = 2149 Express the angle in bearings form. The bearing of Bearing = 90 + 2149 = 11049 T the ship was initially 0 T; it has since rotated through an angle of 90 and an additional angle of 2149. To obtain the nal bearing these values are added. Give a written answer. The bearing of the ship from its starting point is 11049 T.

remember remember
1. Angles of elevation and depression are each measured from the horizontal. 2. The angle of elevation is equal to the angle of depression since they are alternate Z angles. 3. True bearings are measured in a clockwise direction, starting from north (0 T). 4. Conventional or compass bearings are measured rst, relative to north or south; then, relative to east or west. 5. Whenever solving problems involving either angles or elevation and depression bearings, it is best always to draw a diagram and to label all the given information. 6. Set up a compass as the basis of your diagram for bearings questions.

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Math

4D
WORKED

Applications of right-angled triangles

SOH CAH TOA

cad

Example

13

1 From a vertical re tower 60 m high, the angle of depression to a re is 6. How far away, to the nearest metre, is the re?

Ca 2 A person stands 20 m from the base of a building, and measures the angle of elevation to the top of the building as 55. If the person is 1.7 m tall, how high, to the nearest Triangle metre, is the building?

bri Geo

ry met

4 Two vertical buildings, 40 m and 62 m high, are directly opposite each other across a river. The angle of elevation of the top of the taller building from the top of the smaller building is 27. How wide is the river? (Give the answer to 2 decimal places.) 5 To calculate the height of a crane which is on top of a building, Dennis measures the angle of elevation to the bottom and top of the crane. These were 62 and 68 respectively. If the building is 42 m high, nd, to 2 decimal places: a how far Dennis is from the building b the height of the crane. 6 A new skyscraper is proposed for the Brisbane city region. It is to be 200 m tall. What would be the angle of depression, in degrees and minutes, from the top of the building to the base of the Kangaroo Point cliffs, which is 4.2 km away?
WORKED

SkillS SkillS SkillS

3 An observer on a cliff top 57 m high observes a ship at sea. The angle of depression to the ship is 15. The ship sails towards the cliff, and the angle of depression is then 25. How far, to the nearest metre, did the ship sail between sightings?

HEET

4.5

HEET

4.6

Example

14

7 From a rescue helicopter 2500 m above the ocean, the angles of depression of two shipwreck survivors are 48 (survivor 1) and 35 (survivor 2). a Draw a labelled diagram which represents the situation. b Calculate how far apart the two survivors are. 8 A lookout tower has been erected on top of a mountain. At a distance of 5.8 km, the angle of elevation from the ground to the base of the tower is 15.7 and the angle of elevation to the observation deck (on the top of the tower) is 15.9. How high, to the nearest metre, is the observation deck above the top of the mountain? 9 From a point A on level ground, the angle of elevation of the top of a building 50 m high is 45. From a point B on the ground and in line with A and the foot of the building, the angle of elevation of the top of the building is 60. Find, in simplest surd form, the distance from A to B. 10 Express the following conventional bearings as true bearings. a N35W b S47W c N58E 11 Express the following true bearings in conventional form. a 246 T b 107 T c 321 T 12 multiple choice a A bearing of S30E is the same as: A 030 T B 120 T C 150 T b A bearing of 280 T is the same as: A N10W B S10W C S80W D 210 T D N80W E 240 T E N10E d S17E d 074 T
HEET

4.7

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Example

15

13 A canoeist paddles 1800 m on a bearing of N20E. How far north of her starting point is she, to the nearest metre? 14 A yacht race consists of four legs. The rst three legs are 4 km due east, then 5 km south, followed by 2 km due west. a How long is the nal leg, if the race nishes at the starting point? b On what bearing must the nal leg be sailed?

WORKED

Example

15 A ship sails 20 km south, then 8 km west. What is its bearing from the starting point? 16 A cross-country competitor runs on a bearing of N60W for 2 km, then due north for 3 km. a How far is he from the starting point? b What is the true bearing of the starting point from the runner? 17 Two hikers set out from the same camp site. One walks 7 km in the direction 043 T and the other walks 10 km in the direction 133 T. a What is the distance between the two hikers? b What is the bearing of the rst hiker from the second? 18 A ship sails 30 km on a bearing of 220, then 20 km on a bearing of 250. Find: a how far south of the original position it is b how far west of the original position it is c the true bearing of the ship from its original position, to the nearest degree. 19 The town of Bracknaw is due west of Arley. Chris, in an ultralight plane, starts at a third town, Champton, which is due north of Bracknaw, and ies directly towards Arley at a speed of 40 km/h in a direction of 110T. She reaches Arley in 3 hours. Find: a the distance between Arley and Bracknaw b the time to complete the journey from Champton to Bracknaw, via Arley, if she increases her speed to 45 km/h between Arley and Bracknaw. 20 From a point, A, on the ground, the angle of elevation of the top of a vertical tower due north of A is 46. From a point B, due east of A, the angle of elevation of the top of the tower is 32. If the tower is 85 m high, nd: a the distance from A to the foot of the tower b the distance from B to the foot of the tower c the true bearing of the tower from B.

16

Work

ET SHE

4.1

Fly like a bird

A bird ying at 50 m above the ground was observed at noon from my front door at an angle of elevation of 5. Two minutes later its angle of elevation was 4. a If the bird was ying straight and level, nd the horizontal distance of the bird: i from my doorway at noon ii from my doorway at 12.02 pm. b Hence, nd: i the distance travelled by the bird in the two minutes ii its speed of ight in km/h.

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The sine rule

Finding side lengths
The trigonometry we have studied so far has been applicable b to only right-angled triangles. The sine rule allows us to calculate the lengths of sides and the size of angles in nonA right-angled triangles. Consider the triangle drawn on the right. A
C C a B c B

Derivation of the sine rule

A, B and C represent the three angles in the triangle ABC and a, b and c represent the three sides, remembering that each side is named with the lower-case letter of the opposite vertex. Construct a line from C to a point, D, perpendicular to AB. CD is the perpendicular height of the triangle, h.
C

b h A D c C

Now consider ACD and BCD separately.

C

b h h

Using the formula for the sine ratio: opp opp sin = -------sin = -------hyp hyp h h sin A = -sin B = -b a h = b sin A h = a sin B We are now able to equate these two expressions for h. a sin B = b sin A Dividing both sides by sin A sin B we get: a sin B b sin A -------------------------- = -------------------------sin A sin B sin A sin B a b ------------ = ----------sin A sin B c Similarly, we are able to show that each of these is also equal to ------------ . Try it! sin C

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The sine rule states that in any triangle, ABC, the ratio of each side to the sine of its opposite angle will be equal. a b c ------------ = ------------ = -----------sin A sin B sin C This formula allows us to calculate the length of a side in any triangle if we are given the length of one other side and two angles. When using the formula we need to use only two parts of it.

WORKED Example 17
Calculate the length of the side marked x in the triangle on the right, correct to 1 decimal place.
A 80 16 cm 40 x

THINK
1 2

WRITE a b ------------ = ----------sin A sin B x 16 ---------------- = ---------------sin 80 sin 40 16 sin 80 x = -----------------------sin 40 x 24.5 cm

Write the formula. Substitute a = x, b = 16, A = 80 and B = 40. Make x the subject of the equation by multiplying by sin 80. Calculate and round to 1 decimal place.

3 4

To use the sine rule we need to know the angle opposite the side we are nding and the angle opposite the side we are given. In some cases these are not the angles we are given. In such cases we need to use the fact that the angles in a triangle add to 180 to calculate the required angle.

WORKED Example 18
Calculate the length of the side labelled m in the gure on the right, correct to 4 signicant gures.
m

A 65

75 16 m

THINK
1

WRITE C = 180 65 75 = 40 a c ------------ = -----------sin A sin C

Calculate the size of angle C. Write the formula.

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THINK
3

WRITE 16 m ---------------- = ---------------sin 65 sin 40 16 sin 40 m = -----------------------sin 65 = 11.35 m

Substitute a = 16, c = m, A = 65 and C = 40. Make m the subject of the equation. Calculate and round to 4 signicant gures.

4 5

As mentioned in the previous investigation, we need to apply the sine rule to obtuseangled triangles. In such examples the method used is exactly the same with the substitution of an obtuse angle. Using the sine rule allows us to solve a number of more complex problems. As with our earlier trigonometry problems, we begin each with a diagram and give a written answer to each.

WORKED Example 19
George looks south and observes an aeroplane at an angle of elevation of 60. Henrietta is 20 km south of where Georg is and she faces north to see the aeroplane at an angle of elevation of 75. Calculate the distance of the aeroplane from Henriettas observation point, to the nearest metre. THINK
1

60 20 km

75

WRITE A = 180 60 75 = 45 g a ------------ = -----------sin G sin A x 20 ---------------- = ---------------sin 60 sin 45 20 sin 60 x = -----------------------sin 45 x = 24.495 km The distance of the aeroplane from Henriettas observation point is 24.495 km.

Calculate the size of GAH. Write the formula. Substitute g = x, a = 20, G = 60 and H = 75. Make x the subject. Calculate and round to 3 decimal places (nearest metre). Give a written answer.

4 5 6

The sine rule can be used to calculate the height of objects that it would otherwise be difcult to measure. Problems such as this can be solved by combining the use of the sine rule with the trigonometry of right-angled triangles covered earlier in this chapter.

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WORKED Example 20
To calculate the height of a building, Kevin measures the angle of elevation to the top as 52. He then walks 20 m closer to the building and measures the angle of elevation as 60. How high is the building? THINK 1 Draw a labelled diagram of the situation and ll in the given information. WRITE
C

h 52 A 20
2 3

120 B x

60 D

x 20

Check that one of the criteria for the sine rule has been satised for triangle ABC. Determine the value of angle ACB, using the fact that the angle sum of any triangle is 180. Write down the sine rule to nd b.

The sine rule can be used for triangle ABC since two angles and one side length have been given. ACB = 180 (52 + 120) = 8 To nd side length b of triangle ABC: b c ----------- = -----------sin B sin C 20 b ------------------- = ------------sin 120 sin 8 20 sin 120 b = -------------------------------sin 8 = 124.45 m
C 124.45 m 52 A D

Substitute the known values into the rule. Make b the subject of the equation. Calculate and round off the answer to 2 decimal places and include the appropriate unit. Draw a diagram of the situation, that is, triangle ADC, labelling the required information. Also label the sides of the triangle.

6 7

Choose the sine ratio as we are nding the opposite side and have been given the hypotenuse. Substitute for and the hypotenuse. Make h the subject of the equation. Calculate and round off appropriately. Give a written answer.

opp sin = -------hyp h sin 52 = --------------124.45 124.45 sin 52 = h h = 124.45 sin 52 = 98.07 The height of the building is 98.07 m.

10 11 12 13

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remember remember
a b c 1. The sine rule formula is ------------ = ----------- = ------------ . sin A sin B sin C 2. The sine rule is used to nd a side in any triangle when we are given the length of one other side and two angles. 3. We need to use only two parts of the sine rule formula. 4. For written problems, begin by drawing a diagram and nish by giving a written answer.

4E
c b

Using the sine rule to nd side lengths

1 Write down the sine rule formula as it applies to each of the triangles below. a b X c P A

B
WORKED

Example

17

2 Use the sine rule to calculate the length of the side marked with the pronumeral in each of the following, correct to 3 signicant gures. a b c L A R
x 50 16 cm 45 1.9 km 63 52 t 59 N T 84 89 mm S

WORKED

Example

18

3 In each of the following, use the sine rule to calculate the length of the side marked with the pronumeral, correct to 1 decimal place, by rst nding the size of the third angle. a G b c x H B N
80 m 62 P 35.3 cm I M
19.4 km

74 74 18.2 mm

85

y 27 C

4 ABC is a triangle in which BC = 9 cm, BAC = 54 and ACB = 62. Calculate the length of side AB, correct to 1 decimal place. 5 XYZ is a triangle in which y = 19.2 m, XYZ = 42 and XZY = 28. Calculate x, correct to 3 signicant gures.

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Example

19

6 X and Y are two trees, 30 m apart on one side of a river. Z is a tree on the opposite side of the river, as shown in the diagram below.
Z

59 X 30 m

72 Y

It is found that XYZ = 72 and YXZ = 59. Calculate the distance XZ, correct to 1 decimal place. 7 From a point, M, the angle of elevation to the top of a building, B, is 34. From a point, N, 20 m closer to the building, the angle of elevation is 49. a Draw a diagram of this situation. b Calculate the distance NB, correct to 1 decimal place. c Calculate the height of the building, correct to the nearest metre.
WORKED

Example

20

8 To calculate the height of a building, Kevin measures the angle of elevation to the top as 48. He then walks 18 m closer to the building and measures the angle of elevation as 64. How high is the building? 9 A river has parallel banks which run directly eastwest. Kylie takes a bearing to a tree on the opposite side. The bearing is 047 T. She then walks 10 m due east, and takes a second bearing to the tree. This is 305 T. Find: a her distance from the second measuring point to the tree b the width of the river, to the nearest metre. 10 A cross-country runner runs at 8 km/h on a bearing of 150 T for 45 mins, then changes direction to a bearing of 053 T and runs for 80 mins until he is due east of the starting point. a How far was the second part of the run? b What was his speed for this section? c How far does he need to run to get back to the starting point? 11 From a re tower, A, a re is spotted on a bearing of N42E. From a second tower, B, the re is on a bearing of N12W. The two re towers are 23 km apart, and A is N63W of B. How far is the re from each tower?

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12 multiple choice A boat sails on a bearing of N15E for 10 km, then on a bearing of S85E until it is due east of the starting point. The distance from the starting point to the nearest kilometre is, then: A 10 km B 38 km C 110 km D 113 km E 114 km 13 multiple choice A hill slopes at an angle of 30 to the horizontal. A tree which is 8 m tall is growing at an angle of 10 to the vertical and is part-way up the slope. The vertical height of the top of the tree above the slope is: A 7.37 m B 8.68 m C 10.84 m D 15.04 m E 39.89 m 14 A cliff is 37 m high. The rock slopes outward at an angle of 50 to the horizontal, then cuts back at an angle of 25 to the vertical, meeting the ground directly below the top of the cliff. Carol wishes to abseil from the top of the cliff to the ground as shown in the diagram. Her climbing rope is 45 m long, and she needs 2 m to secure it to a tree at the top of the cliff. Will the rope be long enough to allow her to reach the ground?

50 25 rope rock 37 m

Bearing east and west

At the beginning of this chapter we looked at Rick, who wanted to calculate the width of the Grand Canyon. From a point on the southern side of the canyon Rick sighted a lookout on a bearing of N5E. Rick then headed east along the southern rim for 8.1 km, where the bearing of the lookout was N12W. Draw a diagram of this situation and label the lookout on the northern rim A, the easternmost point B and the westernmost point C. Use the sine rule to calculate the distance AB. Draw a perpendicular from A to the side AB. This will represent the width of the canyon. Use right-angled triangle trigonometry to nd the width of the canyon in kilometres, correct to 1 decimal place.

1 2 3 4

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Finding angle sizes

Using the sine rule result we are able to calculate angle sizes as well. To do this, we need to be given the length of two sides and the angle opposite one of them. For simplicity, in solving the triangle we invert the sine rule formula when we are using it to nd an angle. The formula is written: sin A sin B sin C ------------ = ----------- = -----------a b c As with nding side lengths, we use only two parts of the formula.

Find the size of the angle, , in the gure on the right, correct to the nearest degree.
6 cm B

WORKED Example 21

A 110 20 cm

THINK
1 2

WRITE sin A sin C ------------ = -----------a c sin 110 sin ------------------- = ----------6 20 6 sin 110 sin = -----------------------20 sin = 0.2819 = 16

Write the formula. Substitute A = 110, C = , a = 20 and c = 6. Make sin the subject of the equation. Calculate a value for sin . Calculate sin1(0.2819) to nd .

3 4 5

As with nding side lengths, some questions will be problems that require you to draw a diagram to extract the required information and then give the answer in written form.

WORKED Example 22
From a point, P, a ship (S) is sighted 12.4 km from P on a bearing of 137. A point, Q, is due south of P and is a distance of 31.2 km from the ship. Calculate the bearing of the ship from Q, correct to the nearest degree. THINK
1

WRITE
P 137 12.4 km 43 S

Draw a diagram.

31.2 km

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THINK
2 3 4 5 6 7

WRITE sin Q sin P ------------ = ----------q p sin Q sin 43 ------------ = ---------------12.4 31.2 12.4 sin 43 sin Q = ----------------------------31.2 sin Q = 0.271 Q = 16 The bearing of the ship from Q is 016.

Write the formula. Substitute for p, q and P. Make sin Q the subject. Calculate a value for sin Q. Calculate sin1(0.271) to nd Q. Give a written answer.

remember remember
sin A sin B sin C 1. The sine rule formula for nding an angle is ------------ = ----------- = ------------ . a b c 2. We can use this formula when we are given two sides and the angle opposite one of them. 3. Problem questions should begin with a diagram and nish with a written answer.

4F
WORKED

Using the sine rule to nd angle sizes

Example

1 Find the size of the angle marked with a pronumeral in each of the following, correct to the nearest degree. 21 a b c P L A
100 B 32 cm C R Q 60 18.9 m

46 cm

29.5 m 79 mm M

153 mm 117

d
23.6 km

V 23.6 km

f
170

27 mm

16.5 cm

27.6 cm 86

156 mm

75

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2 multiple choice Which of the statements below give the correct value for sin ? 13 sin 36 A sin = -----------------------7 36 sin 13 C sin = -----------------------7 3 multiple choice In which of the triangles below is the information insufcient to use the sine rule? A

14.8 m 7 36 13

7 sin 36 B sin = --------------------13 7 sin 13 D sin = --------------------36

12.7 m

57 12.6 m

45 16.2 m

115 12.9 m

D
6.2 m

12.7 m

8.7 m 9

4 In PQR, q = 12 cm, r = 16 cm and PRQ = 56. Find the size of PQR, correct to the nearest degree. 5 In KLM, LM = 4.2 m, KL = 5.6 m and KML = 27. Find the size of LKM, correct to the nearest degree.
WORKED

Example

6 A, B and C are three towns marked on a map. Judy calculates that the distance between A and B is 45 km and the distance between B and C is 32 km. CAB is 45. Calculate 22 ACB, correct to the nearest degree. 7 A surveyor marks three points X, Y and Z in the ground. The surveyor measures XY to be 13.7 m and XZ to be 14.2 m. XYZ is 60. a Calculate XZY to the nearest degree. b Calculate YXZ to the nearest degree. 8 Two wires support a agpole. The rst wire is 8 m long and makes a 65 angle with the ground. The second wire is 9 m long. Find the angle that the second wire makes with the ground. 9 A ship sails on a bearing of S20W for 14 km, then changes direction and sails for 20 km and drops anchor. Its bearing from the starting point is now N65W. a How far is it from the starting point? b On what bearing did it sail the 20 km leg?

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The cosine rule

The previous two sections have looked at nding sides and angles using the sine rule. The sine rule, however, will not allow us to solve all triangles. Depending on the information provided about the triangle we may need to use the cosine rule. In this section we will use the cosine rule to nd both sides and angles of non-right-angled triangles. In any non-right-angled triangle, ABC, a perpendicular line can be drawn from angle B to side b. Let D be the point where the perpendicular line meets side b, and the length of the perpendicular line be h. Let the length AD = x units. The perpendicular line creates two right-angled triangles, ADB and CDB. B Using triangle ADB and Pythagoras theorem, we obtain: c2 = h2 + x2 [1] c a h Using triangle CDB and Pythagoras theorem, we obtain: a2 = h2 + (b x)2 [2] D A C bx x Expanding the brackets in equation [2]: b a2 = h2 + b2 2bx + x2 Rearranging equation [2] and using c2 = h2 + x2 from equation [1]: a2 = h2 + x2 + b2 2bx = c2 + b2 2bx = b2 + c2 2bx From triangle ABD, x = c cos A, therefore a2 = b2 + c2 2bx becomes a2 = b2 + c2 2bc cos A This is called the cosine rule and is a generalisation of Pythagoras theorem. In a similar way, if the perpendicular line was drawn from angle A to side a or from angle C to side c, the two right-angled triangles would give c2 = a2 + b2 2ab cos C and b2 = a2 + c2 2ac cos B respectively. From this, the cosine rule can be stated: B In any triangle ABC 2 2 2 a = b + c 2bc cos A c a b2 = a2 + c2 2ac cos B A C b c2 = a2 + b2 2ab cos C The cosine rule can be used to solve non-right-angled triangles if we are given: 1. three sides of the triangle 2. two sides of the triangle and the included angle (the angle between the given sides).

Find the third side of triangle ABC given a = 6, c = 10 and B = 76. THINK WRITE B 1 Draw a labelled diagram of the triangle ABC and ll in the given information. c = 10 a=b
76 b
2 2

WORKED Example 23

A
2 3 4 5

Write down the appropriate cosine rule to nd side b. Substitute the given values into the rule. Evaluate. Round off the answer to 2 decimal places.

b = a + c 2ac cos B
2

= 62 + 102 2 6 10 cos 76 106.969 372 5 b = 106.969 372 5 10.34

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Note: Once the third side has been found, the sine rule could be used to nd other angles if necessary. If three sides of a triangle are known, an angle could be found by transposing the cosine rule to make cos A, cos B or cos C the subject. b2 + c2 a2 a2 = b2 + c2 2bc cos A cos A = --------------------------2bc a2 + c2 b2 b2 = a2 + c2 2ac cos B cos B = --------------------------2ac a2 + b2 c2 c2 = a2 + b2 2ab cos C cos C = --------------------------2ab

WORKED Example 24
Find the smallest angle in the triangle with sides 4 cm, 7 cm and 9 cm. THINK 1 Draw a labelled diagram of the triangle, call it ABC and ll in the given information. Note: The smallest angle will correspond to the smallest side. WRITE
B c=7 A b=9 a=4 C

2 3 4

Write down the appropriate cosine rule to nd angle A. Substitute the given values into the rearranged rule. Evaluate.

5 6

Make A the subject of the equation. Calculate and round off to the nearest minute.

Let a = 4 b=7 c=9 b2 + c2 a2 cos A = --------------------------2bc 72 + 92 42 = --------------------------279 49 + 81 16 = ----------------------------126 114 = -------126 114 A = cos1 -------- 126 = 2513

WORKED Example 25
Two rowers set out from the same point. One rows N70E for 2000 m and the other rows S15W for 1800 m. How far apart are the two rowers? THINK 1 Draw a labelled diagram of the triangle, call it ABC and ll in the given information. WRITE
2000 m 70 C 15 1800 m B N A

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THINK 2 Write down the appropriate cosine rule to nd side c. 3 Substitute the given values into the rule.
4

WRITE c2 = a2 + b2 2ab cos C = 20002 + 18002 2 2000 1800 cos 125 11 369 750.342 c = 11 369 750.342 3371.91 The rowers are 3371.91 m apart.

Evaluate. Round off the answer to 2 decimal places. Give a written answer.

5 6

remember remember
1. In any triangle ABC: a2 = b2 + c2 2bc cos A b2 = a2 + c2 2ac cos B c2 = a2 + b2 2ab cos C 2. The cosine rule can be used to solve non-right-angled triangles if we are given: (a) three sides of the triangle (b) two sides of the triangle and the included angle (that is, the angle between the two given sides). 3. If three sides of a triangle are known, an angle could be found by transposing the cosine rule to make cos A, cos B or cos C the subject. a2 = b2 + c2 2bc cos A b2 = a2 + c2 2ac cos B c2 = a2 + b2 2ab cos C b 2 + c 2 a2 cos A = --------------------------2bc a2 + c2 b2 cos B = --------------------------2ac a2 + b2 c2 cos C = --------------------------2ab

4G
WORKED

The cosine rule

Math
cad

Example

1 Find the third side of triangle ABC given a = 3.4, b = 7.8 and C = 80. 2 In triangle ABC, b = 64.5, c = 38.1 and A = 5834. Find a. 3 In triangle ABC, a = 17, c = 10 and B = 115. Find b, and hence nd A and C. 4 Find the smallest angle in the triangle with sides 6 cm, 4 cm and 8 cm. 5 In triangle ABC, a = 356, b = 207 and c = 296. Find the largest angle. 6 In triangle ABC, a = 23.6, b = 17.3 and c = 26.4. Find the size of all the angles. 7 Two rowers set out from the same point. One rows N30E for 1500 m and the other rows S40E for 1200 m. How far apart are the two rowers?
Cosine rule

23

WORKED

Example

24

WORKED

Example

25

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8 Maria cycles 12 km in a direction N68W, then 7 km in a direction of N34E. a How far is she from her starting point? b What is the bearing of the starting point from her nishing point? 9 A garden bed is in the shape of a triangle, with sides of length 3 m, 4.5 m and 5.2 m. a Calculate the smallest angle. b Hence, nd the area of the garden. (Hint: Draw a diagram, with the longest side as the base of the triangle.) 10 A hockey goal is 3 m wide. When Sophie is 7 m from one post and 5.2 m from the other, she shoots for goal. Within what angle, to the nearest degree, must the shot be made if it is to score a goal? 11 An advertising balloon is attached to two ropes 120 m and 100 m long. The ropes are anchored to level ground 35 m apart. How high can the balloon y? 12 A plane ies in a direction of N70E for 80 km, then on a bearing of S10W for 150 km. a How far is the plane from its starting point? b What direction is the plane from its starting point? 13 Ship A is 16.2 km from port on a bearing of 053 T and ship B is 31.6 km from the same port on a bearing of 117 T. Calculate the distance between the two ships. 14 A plane takes off at 10.00 am from an aireld, and ies at 120 km/h on a bearing of N35W. A second plane takes off at 10.05 am from the same aireld, and ies on a bearing of S80E at a speed of 90 km/h. How far apart are the planes at 10.25 am? 15 Three circles of radii 5 cm, 6 cm and 8 cm are positioned so that they just touch one another. Their centres form the vertices of a triangle. Find the largest angle in the triangle.
8 16 For the given shape at near right, determine: 150 a the length of the diagonal B 7 b the magnitude (size) of angle B 60 c the length of x. x 8 cm 5 cm 6 cm

17 From the top of a vertical cliff 68 m high, an observer notices a yacht at sea. The angle of depression to the yacht is 47. The yacht sails directly away from the cliff, and after 10 minutes the angle of depression is 15. How fast does the yacht sail? 18 multiple choice In a triangle ABC, a = 5, b = 6 and C = 105. The length of c would be: A 3.04 B 5.15 C 6.74 D 7.83 E 8.75 19 multiple choice A triangle has sides of length 8, 10 and 12 centimetres. The size of the smallest angle, to the nearest degree, would be: A 32 B 38 C 41 D 56 E 61

10

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Work
ET SHE

20 multiple choice A plane ies on a bearing of 200 for 58 km then on a bearing of 150 for 42 km. Its distance from the start is then: A 44.68 km B 90.88 km C 96.68 km D 98.52 km E 100 km

4.2

Career profile
RICHARD KENNEDY Site Engineer
timing and sequence of construction activities. Many constraints must be considered when writing a construction program. Certain trades cannot commence work unless other trades are nished. However, dissimilar trades can work simultaneously if their work locations are separated. Continuity of work for subcontractors is paramount as mobilisation and demobilisation cost time and money. Most calculations used in my job involve volumes, trigonometry or logic. General volume calculations (V = L W H) are used for estimating earthworks and concrete quantities. More complex calculations (such as the average area method) are used for difcult or odd-shaped volumes. Trigonometry is used before calculating volumes to nd lengths not shown on drawings. For example, eastings and northings are given for corner points. Formulas such as Pythagoras theorem and trigonometric ratios involving cosine, sine and tangent are used. Solving a particular problem in mathematics involves strategy and assessing all possible outcomes. This level of thinking not only enhances mathematical skills but also promotes rational decision making in general life. Questions 1. Richard describes civil engineering as broad in its job opportunities. Name three different aspects of this career. 2. Find out more about eastings and northings and how it relates to Richards use of trigonometry. 3. Which tertiary institutions offer Bachelor of Engineering courses?

Qualications: Bachelor of Engineering (Civil) Employer: Transeld Obayashi Joint Venture

I entered this eld because I liked mathematics and science but was unsure about a specialised career. I chose engineering as it has very broad job opportunities. Civil engineering includes design, construction and commercial management. A typical day for me involves checking drawings issued by designers for constructability, missing information and any errors. I organise subcontractors to build structural elements, review subcontractor claims (monetary) and approve or reject these. Im responsible for inspecting sites to check that what is being built conforms with the drawings. Part of my job includes devising the

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summary
Trigonometry formulas for right-angled triangles
opp tan = -------adj opp sin = -------hyp adj cos = -------hyp SOHCAHTOA this acronym will help you remember trig formulas.

Steps to nd a side of a right-angled triangle

Label the sides of the triangle opposite, adjacent and hypotenuse. Choose the correct ratio. Substitute given information. Make the unknown side the subject of the equation. Calculate. Label the sides of the triangle opposite, adjacent and hypotenuse. Choose the correct ratio. Substitute given information. Make the unknown angle the subject of the equation. Calculate by using the inverse trig functions.

Steps to nd an angle in a right-angled triangle

Applications of right-angled triangles

Angles of elevation and depression are each measured from the horizontal. The angle of elevation is equal to the angle of depression since they are alternate Z angles. True bearings are measured in a clockwise direction, starting from north (0 T).

Cosine rule
In any triangle ABC: a2 = b2 + c2 2bc cos A b2 = a2 + c2 2ac cos B c2 = a2 + b2 2ab cos C

Sine rule
The sine rule allows us to calculate sides and angles in non-right-angled triangles. When nding a side length you need to be given the length of one other side and two angles. a b c The sine rule formula is ------------ = ----------- = ------------ . sin A sin B sin C When nding an angle you need to be given two side lengths and one angle. sin A sin B sin C The sine rule formula when nding an angle is ------------ = ----------- = ------------ . a b c

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CHAPTER review
1 Calculate each of the following, correct to 4 decimal places. a sin 46 d 8.9 sin 673 b tan 7642 5.69 e ----------------cos 75 c f 4.9 cos 56 2.5 ---------------------tan 955

4A

2 Calculate , correct to the nearest degree, given that: a cos = 0.5874 b tan = 1.23 c sin = 0.8.

4A 4A 4B

3 Calculate , correct to the nearest minute, given that: a cos = 0.199 b tan = 0.5 c sin = 0.257.

4 Find the length of each side marked with a pronumeral, correct to 1 decimal place. a
6 cm

b
3.9 m

c
m x 22 12.6 cm

9 q

78

d
12.6 cm 22

e
32 q n

6.8 m 65 t

7.8 cm

h
h

i
z 8330' 138 mm

2.9 m 2642'

4.8 cm 7718'

4.32 m

k
38.5 m j 168' k

l
63 km 8512' m

2951'

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5 A rope that is used to support a agpole makes an angle of 70 with the ground. If the rope is tied down 3.1 m from the foot of the agpole, nd the height of the agpole, correct to 1 decimal place.

4B 4B 4C

6 A dirt track runs off a road at an angle of 34 to the road. If I travel for 4.5 km along the dirt track, what is the shortest distance back to the road (correct to 1 decimal place)? 7 A re is burning in a building and people need to be rescued. The re brigades ladder must reach a height of 60 m and must be angled at 70 to the horizontal. How long must the ladder be to complete the rescue? 8 Find the size of the angle marked in each of the following, giving your answer correct to the nearest degree. a
16 m 19 m 4.6 m

2.3 m

c
43 cm

116 cm

4C

9 Find the size of the angle marked in each of the following, giving your answer correct to the nearest minute. a

10.8 m 4.6 m 6.1 m

2.9 m

11.9 cm 13.8 cm

4C

10 A kite on an 80 m string reaches a height of 50 m in a strong wind. Calculate the angle the string makes with the horizontal.

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4C

11 There is 50 m of line on a shing reel. When all the line is out, the bait sits on the bed of a lake and has drifted 20 m from the boat. Calculate the angle that the shing line makes with the vertical.

12 Two buildings, 15 m and 27 m high, are directly opposite each other across a river. The angle of depression of the top of the smaller building from the top of the taller one is 52. How wide is the river? 13 A four-wheel drive vehicle leaves a camp site and travels across a at, sandy plain in a direction of S65E, for a distance of 8.2 km. It then heads due south for 6.7 km to reach a waterhole. a How far is the waterhole from the camp site? b What is the bearing of the waterhole from the camp site? 14 From a point A on level ground, the angle of elevation to a plane is 72. From a point B on the ground, due west of A, the angle of elevation is 47. If A and B are 3500 m apart, nd the height of the plane off the ground.

4D 4D

4D

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15 Use the sine rule to calculate each of the sides marked with a pronumeral, correct to 3 signicant gures. a b c e a
d 70 4.6 cm 20 31 136 mm 28 4.6 km 117 19

4E 4F

16 In XYZ: x = 9.2 cm, XYZ = 56 and YXZ = 38. Find y, correct to 1 decimal place. 17 Use the sine rule to calculate the size of the angle marked with a pronumeral, correct to the nearest degree. a b c

8 cm 9 cm 9.7 cm 7.1 m 9

63

123 4.1 cm

1.2 m

4F 4G

18 Find all unknown sides and angles of triangle ABC, given a = 25 m, A = 120 and B = 50. 19 Use the cosine rule to nd each of the following unknown sides, correct to 3 signicant gures. a b c
9m a 50 11 m 5.7 m 117 4.6 m b 6.2 cm 128 c 6.9 cm

4G 4G

20 In LMN: LM = 63 cm, MN = 84 cm and LMN = 68. Find the length of LN, correct to 1 decimal place. 21 During a stunt show two aeroplanes y side by side until they suddenly diverge at an angle of 160. After both planes have own 500 m what is the distance between the planes, correct to the nearest metre?

CHAPTER

test yourself