A

Road _- horizontal plane

-
Fig. 11. 77 Horizontal planes
Fig 11.77 above shows aPersonA standingonahor-
izontal plane (e.g. a road) and a Person B standing
on another horizontal plane (e.g. a plateau).
 -~e
. eP~
of eleva ·
line of sig

A,igle o,f eIevatwn

. .

fiG' J/·18 A 1ooks along a horizontal 11.

ptrsO" uld not be able to see pe 0e of .
if ~• wo . rson 8. "K01
i11e~ r ttis fine of sight is inclin d '
weve ks d e at th
f( 10 d b• /00 upwar '' then he e <or,
18~ rson B- Th• angle formed ;ou)d be
~o see el Ii"' of sight and his incl' YPer,0•' k
t . ,ita ,f med I" A'
~ rit0 d tb• angle o e1evation. ••• ofr '
'0,~1•
JS .
'
taI )ine of sight of Person 8
•gli,
011
~orJZ
~) Angle of depression
. o\ $\'~\
\\~e
\\~e;
\Je"

. Ji 79 Angle of depression
fig, .
erson B looks balong
bl a horizantal l"me of sigh
.
P
If h• wouId not e a e to see Person A.
!hell t,
however his line of sight is declined at the correct
If and he loAoksThownwalri
angle d ds then he would be able
.see person
. . . e ang e .formed by Pe rson B' s
1zo,izontal /me of sight and ~s declined line of si ht
to
is caJ]ed the angle of depremon. g·

(c) Horizontal plane

Fig. 11.80 Angles of elevation depression

The two horizontal lines ofsight can be consi,Jered to
be on two horizantal planes.
From Fig. 11.80 above, it can be seen that.

le of elevation == The
Cl :::: ( azu,i,ifill;R
This & • oif pracnca
iact is very useful in the solution
Problems.
Prom what was discuss d
th e above
at: We can conclude
(i) • The angle of elevarion of
observer view;,18 the b· an object for an
angle formed by the 1':;;;:~:0 '" below, is the
the observer and the ho . I.Ilg the object and
' n zontaf p~ ·
• Or, the angle of elevation . th .
upwards from the hon, ts l e angle measured
-.onia to an ob.
• Or, the angle of elevation is th - . 1ec,.
the line of sight of 8 J>Crs~n ::n.gte between
and the hori zonta]. 1 king upwards
For example:

Observer
Horizontal line

Fig. 11.81 Angle of elevation

The angle of elevation of the kite from the observer

is 40°.

(ii) • The angle of depression of an object for an

observer viewing the object from above, is the
angle formed by the line joining the object and
the observer, and the horizontal plane.
• Or, the angle of depression is the angle.mea-
sured downwards from the horizontal to an
object.
• Or, the angle of depression is the angle
between the line of sight of a person looking
downwards and the horizontal.
For example:
Observer orizontal line

F' 11 82 Angle of depression

ig. . of the boat from the
The angle of depression
observer is 250_ b h the angle of eleva-
It should also be noted that o~ n are acute angles.
l of depressw al s
tion and the ang e . d depression are way
Hence angles of elevation an
kss than 90°-
The angle of elevation of the top of a vertical
tree from a man standing on level ground 25 m
from the base of the tree is 38.5°. Calculate the
height of the tree correct to the nearest metre.

Solution

20m
Vertical tree

B
Horizontal ground

Fig~ 1I .83 Right-angled triangle

Considering the right-angled 6.TBX:
tan 38 5° = TB = TB
· BX 25 m
So TB = 25 m X tan 38.5°
= 25 m X 0.795
= 19.875 m
i.e. TB = 20 m (correct to the
nearest metre).
Hence the height of the tree is 20 m.

A girl 1.0 min height, standing on top of a

. vertical building 45.0 m high sees a car some
distance away when the angle of depression is
55°. What distance is the car from the base of
the building?
T
Girl Om

l
46 m Vertical

l buildi::1·0 m
~
B
- -
55°
- - - - l ~~
32.2 m
Horizontal ground
X

Fig. 11.84 Right-angled triangle

 height of the girl/rom the ground
Th e . '
TB== (1.0 + 45.0) m ·
:::: 46 111.
'fhe angle of elevation, TXB
:::: Tite angle of depression
:::: 55°.
Considering the right-angled 6TBX:
tan55° = TB == 46
m
· BX Bf-
. _ 46m
So BX - tan 55°
_ 46m
- 1.428
. = 32.2 m (correctto 3
Hence the distance of the car from th b SJ)
. · e ase 0
building 1s 32.2 m. . ! the

A surveyor stands 1.00 m from the base if

. . l nd o a tow
on which an a~ria sta s. He measures the a er
of elevation to the t~p and bottom of the . ng[e
55° and 51 0 respective
• ly. Calculate the haerial
. as
the aerial. · eight 0if

l Aerial I ~.31
T

142.8 m I
!Tow:rm
B:::----1-00..__m.....__--SC
Horizontal plane
Fig. 11.85 Right-angled triangle

Solotion
Considering the right-angled ~TBC:

tan 55° = TB = Jl)__

BC 100m
So TB = I00 m X tan 55°
= 100 m X 1.428
TB= 1428m
 . g the ngllt-ang led "-
,1eftll '-lA_Jj
siv o AB C':
' (i ,an5 1 == BC ==~
Ill
AB== 100m X t
== 100 m X an Sla
1 23
50 AB == 123.5 rn. ' 5
TA== TB -AB
== (142.8 - 123
5
fA= l9.3 m · )1ll
. .i.e height of the aerial .
.. eu• ts 19 3
~e~c · lll.
1

e.~~J11 le .....-ui~~
acoastal lo~kout point P, 1
frof11 a sailor sights two boat OO ab
rea, . ,,.h . s Aa ove
~e· d'rection. 1o1 e angles oif depres.'Id· 8 ''1. th
1 .,,e I
5P''' ats are 15 and 23° resp . s10,i 0, e
obO . d' ecttve[ the
~v late the istance between th Y.
CP{ctJ . . e two b0ats
p -.:-;;;;-.---r-- .

100i11

C . ·B H . 15°
235.8 m onzontaJpJanc
. 373.1 m 137.3 rn~

fig, JJ.86 Right-angled triangl~

Solution
considering the right-angled 6.PAC:
_ PC _ 10o·m
tan 150 - AC - AC
AC = 100 m == 100 m
So tan 15° 0.268
= 373.lrn
(correct t~ idp.)
Considering the right-angled 6.PBC:
_ PC _ 100m
tan 23 0 -BC
- - BC
100 m 100m
So BC= tan 23° == QA24 _/ ·
== 235.8 m
(correct to 1d.p.)

Now AB =AC- BC
= (373.1 - 235.8) m
:. AB= 137.3 m o t,oats is. 137301.
.
Hence the distance between the tw
 --.
-
Exercisc I . .
...
Y. A sailor sights th If
elevation of 120 e top of a cliff
cliff is about 90. He knows th at an Ingle of
. m abo at the he·
d istance from the b ve sea Ie-,el c ight of the
metre. ase of the cllfT . alculate his
2/ to the~
8

15 Tll
Vcnical
tower

C
Fig. 11.87 Right-an I .
8 ed tn.angl
Th di . e
. e . agram above show
situated on level ground a v~cal tower BC
AB == 15 m and the C. Given that
BA C == 44 o cal· angle of elevation
, culate co......,_ .
(a) the height of th t ·•"'-lto Idecuna1
·.
place·
e ower BC
(b) the distance of A fro . ' .
·
.
tower, AC. m the base of the
3. From a point P on th .
from the foot of a che grhound which is 100 m
I . . urc tower th
e evatmn of the top of the t . ' . e angle of
late the height of the t ower is soo. Calcu-
ower.
4. From a point, the angle of elev .
a tower is 26° If th . atton of the top of
. . e tower is 30 m away fro
the po~nt on the same horizontal level what m
value is the height of the '.tower? '
l ' . •

5. A girl 1.2 m ~eigh! is,-~5 m away from a

tower_ 18 m high. ~ t value is the angle of
elevation of
,
the top of the tower from her eyes.? ·
1 • I

· 6. A wo~ 1.7..m in height observes the angle of

• elevation of a tree to be 24°. If she is standing 15
_m from the tree, determine the height of the tree.
7. From a point Pon ground level which is 100 m
from the foot of achurch-tower, the angle of
. elevation of the top of the tower is 35°. Use a
scale of 1 dnto 10 m to make a scale drawing.
Use your drawing to calculate the height of the
tower.
8. An instrument in an aircraft flying at a height ·
of 400 m measures the angle of depression of
the beginning of the runway as 25°. Calculate
the horizontal distance of the aircraft from the
runway.
9. A man 1.5 m in height standing on top of a
vertical building 42 m high, sees a truck some
 Toe four cardina~ dir~ctions are no
and west. The directions rnid·wa '1h, $olfl
direCtions are also used, that is Y bct\1/A,. \ ,0 ...
, no,-, L ~,., ... ,
south-east (SE), south-west (SW) "'eeq S
(NW), These fai:;ts are illustrated in p.lllid lfo~~(/'t~
N ig. 11,88 . ._-.._,.,,
utl~ .

.s
Fig. 11.88 Cardinal directions
' .
The position of an object relative to another .
is called.its bearing. The bearing of an Obie t~bJect
. . . . . JClSthe
angle measured ID a clockwise azrection from
. al nonh
to the object. Bearz~_gs ar: wa~s written using three
digits. Thus: north IS 000 , east Is 090°, south is 180o .
and west is 270°. Also NE is 045°, SE is 135°, SW is
225 °and NW is 315 °. These facts are illustrated in Fig.
11.89 below.
0000

045°

18()°
 8

,4
llfl searing
I /.'Iv
fiG' o the bearing of B fi
fig• 11.9 ' ro,n t\ is
I~ N vuso.
(11)

91 Bearing
'pig. 11 .
. . t.91. the bearing of p fro
Jn fig, 1 m Q is l5Qo
N .
(c)

fig. ]].92 Bearings

In Fig; t 1.92, the bea!ing of LJr_om K is 2100.
N
(d)

s
320°

Fig. 11.93 Bearing

lnFig. 111.93, the bearing of Rfrom Sis 320°.

(a) The bearing of a point Ajrom a point Bis

075°. State the bearing of Bfrom A.
 (b) The bearingoJapoinrQfi .
325 0_ What value is the b ro~ a Pou,, p is
earing of p f rom Q ?

(a) Solution
N N

075°
B

Fig. 11.94 Bearings

Since NB and NA are parallel
A t

then NAB== 180° - 75°:::: JQ5 o(sun l

So the bearing of B from A == 360o.,JP_ ementary L ·r)
1050
== 255° (Ls at a point)
Hence the bearing of B from A is 0.
255
(b) N

Fig. 11.95 Bearings fi',

Now NPQ = 360° - 325° == 35° (Ls at a point), .

since NQ and NP are parallel. ~.
So the bearing of P from Q
= 180° - 35° (supplementary Ls)
= 145°
Hence the bearing of P from Q is 145°.
Alternative Method
(a) N N

Fig. 11.96 Bearings

 tC.X == NBA = 15" (corres. L s) .
Now N. . ,JBfront A = 75° + 1800 = 255°.
So the heonnR o
N
(b) N

,,

Fig. 11.97 Bearings

Now NPX = 325° - 180 = 145°.
"'
NQP = NPX
"'
= 145° (corres. Ls).
So the bearing of P from Q is 145 °.

(a) By drawing a diagram, find the distance

travelled north and the distance travelled
east by a plane flying on a bearing of 48°
for80 km. . ·
(~) By drawing a diagram, determine the
distance travelled south and the distance
. travelled west by a car driving on a bearing
'. . of 230° for 65 km.
N Scale: 1 cm represents 10 km
 N

77.9kJ1l

B 45 km A
s
oO /light-angled triangle
fi8' JJ.l . we right-ang led 60AB·
o~st·dertllS
A{JB : : : 1goo - 1500 = 300.(L..s on
C l
. a St
OB tne) .
cos 30° :::: 7JA =
so OB::::: 90km X cos 300
j.C, ::::: 90 km X 0.866
::::: 77.94km
::::: 77.9 km (correct to 3 s.f)
tbe distance travelled south by th .
e~b
11-9}011· AB . AB
sin 3D OA = 90 km
0
:::::

~ow AB : : : 90 km X sin 30°

so ::::: 90km X 0.5
== 45 km
aence tbe distance travelled east by the ship is 45 km.
.N

57.5 km

s
Fig.11.101 Right-angled triangle
Considering the right-angled ~OAB:
AOB = 360° - 310° == 50° (Lsatapoint)
So cos50o = OB_ OB
OA - 75 km
1.e. OB= 15 km X cos 50°
= 75 km X 0.643
= 48.225 km
= 48.2 km (correct to 3 s.f)
Hence the distance travelled north by the yacht is
48.2 km .
. 50 0 AB AB
Now st n = OA = 15 km
So AB = 15 km X sin 50°
= 75 km X 0.766
= 57.45 km
= 57.5 km (co"ect to 3 sJ.)
Hence the distance travelled west by the yacht is
57.5 km.
 12. The bearing of a place X from a place Y is 265°.
Calculate the bearing of the place Y from the
place X.
13. The bearing of an airport A from a plane P is
·310°. State the bearing of the plane P from the
airport A.
14. The .bearing of submarine S from a port Pis
325°. Evaluate the bearing of the port P from
the submarine S.
IS. The bearing of ship S from a harbour His 339°.
Calculate the bearing of the harbour H fr<?m the
ship S.
16. By drawing a diagram, determine the distance
travelled north and the distance travelled east by
a plane flying ~n a bearing ~f 50° for lOQ km.

17. By drawing a diagram, determine the distance

travelled south ~d ~e dis~ce travelled east by
•
on
ship sailing a b_
t l .
earing.of 140° for 90 km.
• -

18~ By drawing a diagram, determine the distance

· travelled
. .
south and the .distance
'
travelled west
by a car being driven on a bearing of 2~0° for
85km.
19. By drawing a diagram, determine the distance
travelled north and the distance travelled west by
a yacht sailing on a bearing of 300° for 65 kin.
20. Calculate the distance travelled north and the
distance travelled east by a plane flying on a
bearing .of 45° for 165 km.
 21. Evaluate the distance travelled
~""-
,
distance travelled east by a shj so\llh tl .
~- ' .-
bearing of 158° for 95 krn. · P SaiJ.i'1;:
z2. Calculate the distance lraveu ti it

distance. travelled west by a ced 80ulh ah,..

bearing of 225° for I 00 kin. ar d!j"itig
2J. Detennine the distance travelle
distance travelled west by a d nolth a
bearing of 325° for 87 L--- )acht Sailih nd t~
l\..lll, ~,g OJ\
. a d'1agram, deternu
24. By drawing
which a ship sails from t>on if' _ne the hen•
east and 20. km south.
. lt flllj· she 'ttjllg on

. di
8
40 l~
25. By drawing a agram, detellni
which a plane files from an aimne t~e 1-wi._ •h

- pOrt If ..~"tlt't~g 0
35 km west and 75 km_ south. 11 rlllish~
26. By drawing a diagram, deternu ··
neifthe. he~g on
which a yac ht sru.·1s from harbour
40 km west and 50 km north. It finishes

27. By drawing a diagram, determine th .

on which a car drives from a Park if ~the~ng
39 km east and 52 km north. 6Illshes

28. Calculate the bearing on which a plan .

. .f . fi . . e 0ies
from an airport 1 1t I1Ushes 75 km east and
30 km north.

29. Determine the bearing on which a ship sails ·

from port if it finishes 65 km west and 20 km
north.
'
· 30. Calculate the bearing on which a yacht sails
from harbour if it finishes 48 km west and
100 km south.
31. Determine the bearing on which a car drives
from a park if it finishes 30 km east and 75 km
south.
32. From a point P, the bearing of a tree, T, is 60°,
From a second point Q, which is 200 mdue east
. 3300 · Use a scale
of P, the bearing of the tree 1s
of I cm to 20 m to make a scale diagram and
determine the distance of the tree from P.