Applications of Triangles Lesson Plan

By: Douglas A. Ruby Class: Pre-Calculus II INSTRUCTIONAL OBJECTIVES: At the end of this lesson, the student will be able to: Date: 10/10/2002 Grades: 11/12

1. Read, understand and apply problem solving to written problems involving right triangles. 2. Solve application problems involving acute right triangles in which one angle (in addition to the right angle) and one side, or the right angle and two sides are provided. 3. Demonstrate correct application of basic trig functions when using either simple angles (pen and pencil) or complex angles (using a calculator).
Relevant Massachusetts Curriculum Framework PC.M.1 Describe the relationship between degree and radian measures, and use use radian measure in the solution of problems, particularly problems involving angular velocity and acceleration. PC.P.3 - Demonstrate an understanding of the trigonometric functions (sine, cosine, tangent, cosecant, secant, and cotangent). Relate the functions to their geometric definitions. MENTAL MATH (5 Minutes) 1. Solve the triangle below: A = 90o-26.7o=63.3o B =26.7o C =90o a = 0.17 / tan 26.7o .338 b = 0.17 c = 0.17 / sin 26.7o .378 .378

Note: using Pythagorean Theorem, c = sqrt ( .3382+.172) 2. What is the length of the ladder h in the diagram below: Using the Pythagorean Theorem: h2 = 72 + 42 h = 65 8.06225 ft. Also, tan = 7 / 4 = tan 1(7/4) 60.26o sin 60.26o = 7 / h h = 7ft / sin 60.26o 8.0618 ft.

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Applications of Trigonometric Functions Mr. Ruby CLASS ACTIVITIES (Note: 45 Minute Lesson Plan) Todays unit follows on the prior unit in which we defined the six basic trigonometric functions relative to an acute right triangle. Many problems in real life can be described and solved by translating them into problems of right triangles. Disciplines, including surveying, navigation, and others are often done using trigonometry. Lets look at a few real life examples.
1. Basic Problem solving using Triangles Example: An observer stands on level ground, 200 meters from the base of a television tower, and looks up at an angle of 26.5 to see the top of the tower. a) How high is the tower above the observer's eye level? b) How far is it from the observer's eye to the top of the tower? Solution: We draw a diagram and see that a right triangle is formed.

a) We use one of the trigonometric functions. The tangent function is most convenient. From the definition of the tangent function, we have tan 26.5o = opposite / adjacent = h / 200 Solving for h gives us h = 200 x tan 26.5 100

The height of the tower is about 100 meters. b) To find the distance d from the observer's eye to the top of the tower, we use a different trigonometric function, one that involves the hypotenuse. The cosine function gives us: cosine 26.5o = adjacent / hypotenuse = 200 / d

Then solving for d, we get

d = 200 / cos 26.5 223. . The distance from the observer's eye to the top of the tower is about 223 meters.

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Applications of Trigonometric Functions Mr. Ruby

This example illustrated the general strategy for solving problems involving triangles and trigonometric functions. To solve a triangle problem: 1. Draw a sketch of the problem situation. 2. Look for triangles and sketch them in. 3. Mark the known and unknown sides and angles. 4. Express the desired side or angle in terms of known trigonometric ratios. Then solve.

Try Now:
An observer stands 120 m. from a tree and finds that the line of sight to the top of the tree is 32.3 above the horizontal. a) Find the height h of the tree above eye level. b) Find the distance d from the observer to the top of the tree. To solve this problem, we first observe that:

tan 32.3o = h / 120 therefore: height h = tan 32.3o x 120 75.86 m. cos 32.3o= 120 / d therefore: distance d = 120 / cos 32.3o 141.97 m.

2. Angle of Elevation and Angle of Depression The angle between the horizontal and a line of sight above the horizontal is called an angle of elevation. The angle between the horizontal and a line of sight below the horizontal is called an angle of depression. For example, suppose that you were looking straight ahead and then you moved your eyes upward toward an oncoming airplane. The angle your eyes pass through is an angle of elevation. If the pilot of the plane is looking forward and then moves his eyes down toward you, his eyes pass through an angle of depression.

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Applications of Trigonometric Functions Mr. Ruby

Example. Surveying. Horizontal distances must often be measured even though terrain is not level. One-way of doing so is as follows. Distance down a slope is measured with a surveyor's tape, and the distance d is measured by making a level sighting from A to a pole held vertically at B, or the angle is measured by an instrument placed at A. Suppose that a slope distance L is measured to be 121.3 ft and the angle is measured to be 3.42o. Find the horizontal distance H.

Solution: From the figure, we see that H/L = cos , thus, H = L * cos H = 121.3 x cos 3.42o 121.1 ft

and in this case.

Try Now: The length of a guy wire to a pole is 37.7 ft. It makes an angle of 7120' with the ground, which is horizontal. How high above the ground is the guy wire attached to the pole?

Note: we first convert 71o 20 (read 71 degrees, 20 minutes) to a decimal degree. We do this by observing that there are 60 minutes in oneths degree, so we convert the mixed fraction 71 20/60 to the decimal number 71.333 degrees. Now we solve the rest of the problem: sin 71.333o = h / 37.7 ft. h = 37.7 ft. * sin 71.333o h 35.716 ft.

3. Problems involving Headings and Bearings

Some applications of trigonometry involve the idea of direction, or bearing. One method of giving direction, or bearing, involves reference to a north-south line using an acute angle. For example, N43W means 43 west of north and S30E means 30 east of south. Several bearings of this type are shown below.

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Applications of Trigonometric Functions Mr. Ruby

Example 5 A forest ranger at point A sights a fire directly south. A second ranger at point B, 7.5 mi east, sights the same fire at a bearing of S2723'W. How far from A is the fire?

Note: B = 90 - 2723' = 8960' -2723' = 6237'

Solution From the figure, we see that the desired distance d is part of a right triangle, as shown. We have tan 6237' = d / 7.5 mi. d = 7.5 * tan 6237' = 7.5*tan 62.62o 14.5 mi. The forest ranger at A is 14.5 mi from the fire.

Try Now: Directly east of a lookout station, there is a small forest fire. The bearing of this fire from a station 12.5 km. south of the first is N 5719' E. How far is the fire from the southerly lookout station? Solution: The solution to this problem is: East 12.5k
N 5719E

cos 57o19 = 12.5km / d d = 12.5km / cos 57o19 23.14km

South

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Applications of Trigonometric Functions Mr. Ruby Reference: All examples, diagrams, and homework taken from:
Bittinger, M. and Beecher, J. (1993), Algebra and trigonometry, second edition, Addison Wesley Publishing Corporation, Reading, Massachusetts

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Applications of Trigonometric Functions Mr. Ruby Homework: Do the following problems. Be sure to draw a diagram to solve: 1. A guy wire to a pole makes an angle of 73.2 with the level ground and is 14.5 ft from the pole at the ground. How far above the ground is the wire attached to the pole?
h / 14.5ft. = tan 73.2o h = 14.5 * tan 73.2o h 48.0 ft. 2. A kite string makes an angle of 41.3 with the (level) ground when the kite is 114 ft high. How long is the string? sin 41.3o = 114 ft / d d = 114 / sin 41.3o d 172ft 3. A road rises 3 m per 100 horizontal m. What angle does it make with the horizontal? tan = 3m /100m= .03 1.72o

4. What is the angle of elevation of the sun when a 6-ft man casts a 10.3-ft shadow? tan = 6 ft. / 10.3ft = .5825 30.22o

5. From a balloon 2500 ft high, a command post is seen with an angle of depression of 7.7. How far is it from a point on the ground below the balloon to the command post, to the nearest tenth of a mile? tan 7.7o = 2500 ft. / d d = 2500 ft. / tan 7.7o d 18490 ft. 3.5 mi.

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Applications of Trigonometric Functions Mr. Ruby

6. From a lighthouse 55 ft above sea level, the angle of depression to a small boat is 11.3. How far from the foot of the lighthouse is the boat? tan 11.3o = 55 ft. / d d =55 ft. / tan 11.3o d 275.2 ft. 7. Ship A is due west of a lighthouse. Ship B is 12 km south of ship A. From ship B, the bearing to the lighthouse is N 6320' E. How far is ship A from the lighthouse? tan 63o20 = d / 12km d =12 km * tan 63o20 d =12 km * tan 63.33o d 23.89 km. 24 km.

8. A regular pentagon has sides 30.5 cm long. Find the radius of the circumscribed circle.

54o

Note: Interior half angle of pentagon = 360o / 10 = 36o Exterior half/angle of pentagon = (90o-36o) = 54o cos 54o = 15.25 cm. / r r = 15.25 cm. / cos 54o 25.94 cm.

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