Chapter 20: Trigonometry
Worked Examples for Every Topic
IGCSE & O Level Mathematics | Grade 9-10
"Think like the examiner. Spot every trap. Ace every question."
Pythagoras' Theorem
6.1 a² + b² = c² · Hypotenuse · Finding a Missing Side
✏️ A right-angled triangle has legs 6 cm and 8 cm. Find the hypotenuse
Formula: c² = a² + b²
Step 1: c² = 6² + 8² = 36 + 64 = 100
Step 2: c = √100 = 10 cm
✏️ A right-angled triangle has hypotenuse 13 cm and one leg 5 cm. Find the other
leg
Rearrange: b² = c² − a²
Step 1: b² = 13² − 5² = 169 − 25 = 144
Step 2: b = √144 = 12 cm
Examiner Trap
Pythagoras' theorem only works for RIGHT-angled triangles — using it on any other
triangle is an automatic zero. Examiners also switch between 'find the hypotenuse' (add
the squares) and 'find a shorter side' (subtract the squares) within the same question
set, hoping you'll subtract when you should add, or the reverse.
Right-Angled Triangles
6.2 Sine · Cosine · Tangent · SOHCAHTOA · Angles of Elevation & Depression ·
Bearings
✏️ In a right-angled triangle, the angle is 32° and the adjacent side is 15 cm. Find the
opposite side
Choose ratio: opposite and adjacent are involved, so use TAN (TOA)
Step 1: tan 32° = opposite ÷ 15
Step 2: opposite = 15 × tan 32° = 9.37 cm (3 s.f.)
✏️ A right-angled triangle has opposite side 7 cm and hypotenuse 12 cm. Find the
angle θ
Choose ratio: opposite and hypotenuse are involved, so use SIN (SOH)
Step 1: sin θ = 7 ÷ 12 = 0.5833
Step 2: θ = sin⁻¹(0.5833) = 35.7° (3 s.f.)
✏️ From a point 50 m from the base of a tower, the angle of elevation to the top is
28°. Find the height of the tower
Set up: the ground distance is adjacent, the height is opposite — use TAN
Step 1: tan 28° = height ÷ 50
Step 2: height = 50 × tan 28° = 26.6 m (3 s.f.)
✏️ From the top of a 40 m cliff, the angle of depression to a boat is 15°. Find the
horizontal distance to the boat
Key fact: the angle of depression equals the angle of elevation from the boat (alternate
angles)
Step 1: tan 15° = 40 ÷ distance
Step 2: distance = 40 ÷ tan 15° = 149 m (3 s.f.)
✏️ A ship sails 15 km on a bearing of 070° from port. Find how far east and how far
north of the port it ends up
East component: 15 × sin 70° = 14.1 km (3 s.f.)
North component: 15 × cos 70° = 5.13 km (3 s.f.)
Examiner Trap
An angle of depression is always measured from the HORIZONTAL at the observer's
eye level, downward — not from the vertical, and not from the line joining the two points.
Examiners draw the horizontal dashed line faintly on purpose; if you miss it, you'll set up
the whole triangle with the wrong angle in the wrong place.
⚠️Match the Sides to the Angle
Opposite and adjacent are only fixed once you pick which angle you're working from. If a
diagram is rotated or the marked angle changes between parts of a question, re-identify
O, A and H every time — don't assume they're in the same position as the last part.
Non-Right-Angled Triangles
6.3 Sine Rule · Cosine Rule · Area = ½ab sin C · Choosing the Right Rule
✏️ Triangle ABC has angle A = 40°, angle B = 75°, and side a = 8 cm. Find side b
Rule: sine rule: a ÷ sin A = b ÷ sin B
Step 1: b = a × sin B ÷ sin A = 8 × sin 75° ÷ sin 40°
Step 2: b = 12.0 cm (3 s.f.)
✏️ Triangle ABC has b = 7 cm, c = 9 cm, and angle A = 55°. Find side a
Rule: cosine rule: a² = b² + c² − 2bc cos A
Step 1: a² = 49 + 81 − (2 × 7 × 9 × cos 55°) = 130 − 72.3 = 57.7
Step 2: a = √57.7 = 7.60 cm (3 s.f.)
✏️ Triangle ABC has a = 12 cm, b = 8 cm, c = 7 cm. Find angle A
Rule: cosine rule rearranged: cos A = (b² + c² − a²) ÷ 2bc
Step 1: cos A = (64 + 49 − 144) ÷ (2 × 8 × 7) = −31 ÷ 112 = −0.277
Step 2: A = cos⁻¹(−0.277) = 106° (3 s.f.)
✏️ Triangle ABC has sides AB = 8 cm and AC = 10 cm, with an included angle of 55°.
Find its area
Formula: area = ½ × a × b × sin C
Answer: ½ × 8 × 10 × sin 55° = 32.8 cm² (3 s.f.)
Examiner Trap
Choosing the wrong rule is the #1 error here. Use the SINE rule when you have a
matching angle-and-opposite-side pair plus one more piece of information. Use the
COSINE rule when you know all three sides (SSS) or two sides and the INCLUDED
angle (SAS) — the sine rule cannot be set up at all in that case, because no angle has
its opposite side known yet.
💡 Detective Sam's Tip
When the sine rule is used to find an ANGLE from two sides and a non-included angle,
there can be two possible answers (the ambiguous case) — one acute, one obtuse, both
with the same sine value. Always check whether the obtuse answer makes sense in the
context of the triangle before discarding it.
Pythagoras' Theorem and Trigonometry in 3D
6.4 Space Diagonals · Angle Between a Line and a Plane · 3D Right-Angled Triangles
✏️ A cuboid measures 6 cm by 4 cm by 3 cm. Find the length of its space diagonal
Formula: diagonal² = length² + width² + height²
Step 1: diagonal² = 6² + 4² + 3² = 36 + 16 + 9 = 61
Step 2: diagonal = √61 = 7.81 cm (3 s.f.)
✏️ A cuboid has base 8 cm by 6 cm and height 5 cm. Find the angle between the
space diagonal and the base
Step 1: base diagonal = √(8² + 6²) = √100 = 10 cm
Step 2: tan θ = height ÷ base diagonal = 5 ÷ 10 = 0.5
Step 3: θ = tan⁻¹(0.5) = 26.6° (3 s.f.)
✏️ A pyramid has a square base of side 10 cm and vertical height 12 cm. Find the
angle between a sloping edge and the base
Step 1: half the base diagonal = (10 × √2) ÷ 2 = 7.07 cm
Step 2: tan θ = height ÷ half-diagonal = 12 ÷ 7.07 = 1.697
Step 3: θ = tan⁻¹(1.697) = 59.5° (3 s.f.)
Examiner Trap
The angle between a line and a plane is found in the right-angled triangle formed by the
vertical height and the HORIZONTAL PROJECTION of the line onto the plane — not just
any convenient length on the base. Using a base edge instead of the actual diagonal or
projection distance is the most common 3D trigonometry error, and examiners choose
shapes exactly like the pyramid above to expose it.
💡 Detective Sam's Tip
For every 3D angle question, redraw the relevant flat (2D) right-angled triangle
separately before doing any trigonometry — trying to picture the angle inside the full 3D
diagram is where most marks are lost.