4.
8 Trigonometric Applications
and Models
Objectives:
•Use right triangles to solve real‐life problems.
•Use directional bearings to solve real‐life problems.
•Use harmonic motion to solve real‐life problems.
Terminology
• Angle of elevation – • Angle of depression –
angle from the angle from the
horizontal upward to horizontal downward
an object. to an object.
Object
Horizontal
Observer Angle of
Angle of
elevation depression
Observer
Horizontal
Object
Precalculus 4.8 Applications and Models 2
Example
• Solve the right triangle for
all missing sides and angles.
You Try
• Solve the right triangle for
all missing sides and angles.
Example – Solving Rt. Triangles
At a point 200 feet from the base of a building,
the angle of elevation to the bottom of a smokestack
is 35°, and the angle of elevation to the top of the
smokestack is 53°. Find the height of the smokestack.
Precalculus 4.8 Applications and Models 5
You try:
• A swimming pool is 20 meters long and 12 meters
wide. The bottom of the pool is slanted so that the
water depth is 1.3 meters at the shallow end and 4
meters at the deep end, as shown. Find the angle of
depression of the bottom of the pool.
7.69°
Trigonometry and Bearings
• In surveying and navigation, directions are
generally given in terms of bearings. A bearing
measures the acute angle that a path or line of
sight makes with a fixed north‐south line.
N N
N 35° E S 70°W
35°
W E W E
70°
S S
Trig and Bearings
• You try. Draw a bearing of:
N800W S300E
N N
W E W E
S S
Trig and Bearings
• You try. Draw a bearing of:
N800W S300E
800
30 0
Example – Finding Directions Using Bearings
• A hiker travels at 4 miles per hour at a
heading of S 35° E from a ranger station.
After 3 hours how far south and how far east
is the hiker from the station?
Precalculus 4.8 Applications and Models 10
Example – Finding Directions Using Bearings
A ship leaves port at noon and heads due west at 20 knots, or 20
nautical miles (nm) per hour. At 2 P.M. the ship changes course to N
54o W. Find the ship’s bearing and distance from the port of
departure at 3 P.M.
A ship leaves port at noon and heads due west at 20
knots, or 20 nautical miles (nm) per hour. At 2 P.M. the
ship changes course to N 54o W. Find the ship’s bearing
and distance from the port of departure at 3 P.M.
Two lookout towers are 50 kilometers apart. Tower A is due west of
tower B. A roadway connects the two towers. A dinosaur is spotted
from each of the towers. The bearing of the dinosaur from A is N 43o
E. The bearing of the dinosaur from tower B is N 58o W. Find the
distance of the dinosaur to the roadway that connects the two towers.
h
43o 58o
47 32
o o
A 50– x
B
h h
tan(47 ) =
o tan(32 ) =
o
x 50 − x
x ⋅ tan(47o ) = h ( 50 − x ) tan(32o ) = h
h
47 32
o o
A x 50– x
B
x ⋅ tan(47o ) = h ( 50 − x ) tan(32o ) = h
50 tan(32o )
⋅ tan(47 o
)=h x ⋅ tan(47o ) = ( 50 − x ) tan(32o )
tan(47 ) + tan(32 )
o o
x ⋅ tan(47 o ) = 50 tan(32o ) − x tan(32o )
19.741 = h x ⋅ tan(47o ) + x tan(32o ) = 50 tan(32o )
x ⎡⎣ tan(47o ) + tan(32o ) ⎤⎦ = 50 tan(32o )
50 tan(32o )
x=
19.741 km tan(47o ) + tan(32o )
Two lookout towers spot a fire at the same time. Tower B is Northeast of
Tower A. The bearing of the fire from tower A is N 33o E and is calculated to
be 45 km from the tower. The bearing of the fire from tower B is N 63o W
and is calculated to be 72 km from the tower. Find the distance between the
two towers and the bearing from tower A to tower B.
