BASIC TRIGONOMETRY
Right angled triangles
Group work activity:
Right Divide the class into three(3).
On the board, identify and
triangle sketch three real-life objects
within the school that form a
HUNT right-angled triangle. Label the
hypotenuse, opposite, and
adjacent sides based on a
reference angle you choose.
Present your illustration to the
class.
Considered this right-angled triangle,
what will be the unmarked angle be?
45°
? ?
ACTIVITY 1: Find the missing angle in each
triangle.
Pythagorean Theorem
In a right triangle, the square of the hypotenuse (the longest side,
opposite the right angle) is equal to the sum of the squares of the other
two sides.
Formula
𝑎2 + 𝑏2 = 𝑐 2
• 𝑎and 𝑏: the two legs (shorter sides)
• 𝑐: the hypotenuse
Example
If one side is 3 units and the other is 4 units:
32 + 42 = 9 + 16 = 25
𝑐 = 25 = 5
So, the hypotenuse is 5 units long.
If 𝒂 is unknown
Rearrange the formula:
2
𝑎 =𝑐 −𝑏2 2
𝑎 = 𝑐 2 − 𝑏2
Example:
If 𝑐 = 13and 𝑏 = 5:
𝑎 = 132 − 52 = 169 − 25 = 144
= 12
If 𝒃 is unknown
Rearrange the formula:
2
𝑏 =𝑐 −𝑎2 2
𝑏 = 𝑐 2 − 𝑎2
Example:
If 𝑐 = 10 and 𝑎 = 6:
𝑏 = 102 − 62 = 100 − 36 = 64 = 8
Activity 2. Find the lengths of the missing sides and
show your complete solutions.
g. A ladder reaches the top of a wall. The ladder is 10 m long. The
bottom of the ladder is 6 m from the wall. How high is the wall?
h. A ramp is built for a skateboard. The ramp is 8 m long. The height
from the ground to the top of the ramp is 6 m. How far is the
bottom of the ramp from the base?
i. A triangular park has sides forming a right [Link] side is 9 m, and
the other side is 12 m. What is the length of the path connecting
the two ends?
MAGIC TRIANGLE ( SOH-CAH-TOA)
Solution:
Use SOH to find the value of x, thus,
𝑜𝑝𝑝𝑜𝑠𝑖𝑡𝑒
Sinθ =
ℎ𝑦𝑝𝑜𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑛𝑢𝑠𝑒
𝑥
Sin 30° = (cross-multiply)
100 𝑐𝑚
X = (sin 30°) (100cm)
X = 50 cm.
Solution:
Use TOA to find the value of x, thus,
Tan θ =𝑜𝑝𝑝𝑜𝑠𝑖𝑡𝑒/adjacent
3𝑐𝑚
tan 28° = (cross-multiply)
𝑥
Tan 28° X = 3cm
3𝑐𝑚
X=
tan 28°
X = 5.64 cm.
TRY this!
Activity 3. Find the missing side (x=?)
Application:
1. What is the height of the tree below?
2. At 57" from the base of a building you need to
look up at 55° to see the top of a building. What is
the height of the building?
Angle of ELEVATION
&
Angle of DEPRESSION
Worded problems of Angle of
Elevation and Angle of Depression
Joanne, a 5ft. Girl is
standing 20 feet away
from a tree, if the angle
of elevation from the
eyes of the man to the
top of the tree is 38°,
find the height of the
tree.
From the top of a
tower, Laarni sees
Portia on the ground at
an angle of depression
of 40°. If the tower is
45 feet in height how
far is portia from the
base of the tower?
PROBLEMS:
1. From the top of a cliff 250 feet high, the angle of depression of a boat is 10º. How far out is the boat
from the foot of the cliff?
2. Find the length of the horizontal shadow of a tree 95 feet tall when the angle of elevation of the sun
is 73°17’.
3. At a point 160 feet from a building, and in horizontal line with its base, the angle of elevation of the
top of the building is 37º. How high is the building?
4. An artillery observer in a captive balloon 2700 ft. above his guns observes that the angle of
depression of an enemy’s fort is 27°56’. Find the distance from the guns to the fort, if they lie at the
same elevation.
5. The angle of elevation of the sun is 42º, what is the length of the shadow on the level ground of a
man who is 6.1 ft. tall.