Unit 7

Triangle
Trigonometry
Lesson 7.1

Angles
 An angle is formed by two rays with a common
endpoint called vertex.
 (a), ∠APC is positive since its rotation is in counter
clockwise direction while in (b), ∠APC is negative since
its rotation is in clockwise direction.
 An angle whose vertex lies at the origin of the
rectangular coordinate system and its initial side is along
the positive x – axis is said to be in standard position.
However, if the terminal side of the angle falls on an axis,
it is called a quadrantal angle. An angle is quadrantal if it
is terminal with one of the following angles: 0o, 90o, 180o,
270o.
 There are two units that are commonly used for
measuring angles, the degree and radian. Degree is the
unit usually used for measuring angles of triangles.
Radians are alternate units used to measure angles in
trigonometry.
 For more accuracy, one hour is divided into 60
minutes and 1 minute into 60 seconds. A degree is
traditionally divided into 60 minutes (60’) and a minute
into 60 seconds (60”).
1 degree = 60 minutes = 3600 seconds

If an angle θ measures 73 degrees, 45 minutes, and 47

seconds, when we write θ = 73o 45’ 47”. This called
standard form. However, while minutes and seconds are
generally used in applications, it is also important to know
its equivalent decimal degrees which are much easier to
use with scientific calculator. Let us convert 73o45’47” into
decimal degrees.
73o 45’ 47”

73o 45’ 47” = 73.763o

Example 1: Rewrite θ = 27o 80’ 79”
Solution:
80’ = 60’ + 20’ Therefore, 27o 80’ 79” = 27o
= 1o 20’ + 1o 20’
+ 1’ 19”
79” = 60”+ 19”
28o 21’19”
= 1’ 19”

Example 2: Find 180o – 142o 15’ 43”.

Solution:
180o = 179o 59’ 60”
– 142o 15’ 43” = 142o 15’ 43”
37o 44’17”
Example 3: Find a positive angle coterminal with
a. θ = 45o
b. θ = 60o 34’ 42”

Solution:
Positive angles coterminal with θ can be obtained by
rotating its terminal side through a complete
revolution in the counterclockwise direction
(one complete revolution = 360o).
a. θ + 360o = 45o + 360o
= 405o
b. θ + 360o = 60o 34’ 42” + 360o
= 420o 34’ 42”
Example 4: Find all angles between – 400o and 1000o
angle coterminal with 45o.
Solution:
Adding and subtracting multiples of 360 o, we obtain
a. 45o – 360o = – 315o
b. 45o
c. 360o + 45o = 405o

d. 720o + 45o = 765o

Note that an angle is coterminal with itself.

Example 5: Rewrite θ = 30o 24’ 52” in decimal degrees.
Solution:

or

Evaluating the second expression using the calculator,

we have

52 ÷ 60 + 24 = ÷ 60 + 30 =

Hence, the calculator displays θ = 30.41o.

Example 6: Rewrite θ = 74o 28’ 15” in decimal degrees.
Solution:
74o 28’ 15” =

= 740 + 0.4670 + 0.0040

= 74.470
Example 7: Express θ = 37.456o in terms of DMS
(degrees, minutes, and seconds).
Solution:
θ = 37.456o
= 37o + 0.456(60’)
= 37o + 27’ + 0.36(60”)
= 37o + 27’ + 21.6”
= 37o + 27’ + 22”
θ = 37o 27’ 22”
Example 8: Express θ = 34.817o in terms of DMS
(degrees, minutes, and seconds).
Solution:
θ = 34.817o
= 34o + 0.817(60’)
= 34o + 49.02’
= 34o + 49’ + (0.02)(60”)
= 34o + 49’ + 1.2”
θ = 34o 49’ 1”
Example 9: Determine the quadrant of the following
angles.

a. 205o c. 5895o
Solution: b. – 75o d. – 3888o

a. Clearly 205o is in Qdt. III.

b. Clearly – 75o is in Qdt. IV.
c. To determine the quadrant of 5895o, divide it by 360o.

This means that 5895o consists of 16 full revolutions plus

0.375 of a revolution.
 Lesson 7.2
Trigonometric
Functions of
Acute Angles
 If an angle θ is in standard position and a point
whose coordinates are (x,y) is on the terminal side of θ
with r as the distance from the origin to (x,y), then the
trigonometric function of θ are defined as follows:
Example 1:
The terminal side of angle θ in standard position
passes through the given point. Find the values of the
six trigonometric functions of θ.
a. (5, 12) b. (–1, 2)
Solution:

a.
Using the definition of trigonometric functions:

b.
Thus,
Example 2:
The terminal side of angle β goes through (– 3, – 4).
Find the values of the six trigonometric functions of β.
x = – 3 and y = – 4 r=5
Solution:
Example 3:
Find the values of the six trigonometric functions
for an angle of 900.
First, select any point on the terminal side of a 90 0
angle. Let us select the point (0, 1), as shown in the
figure below. Here x = 0 and y = 1. Verify that r = 1.
Solution:
 θ sin θ cos θ tan θ cot θ sec θ csc θ

unde unde
0 0
0 1 0 1
fined fined
unde unde
90 0
1 0 0 1
fined fined
unde unde
180 0
0 –1 0 –1
fined fined
unde unde
270 0
–1 0 0 fined –1
fined
unde unde
360 0
0 1 0 1
fined fined
 In right triangle ACB, the side opposite the right angle
C is the hypotenuse. The side opposite the two acute
angles are the legs.

The hypotenuse can be denoted by c, the corresponding

lower case of C. Similarly, the side opposite the angle A
can be denoted by a, and the side opposite to angle B can
be denoted by b.
Side a is said to be adjacent to angle B, and side b is said
to be adjacent to angle A. Using the sides of a right
triangle, the definitions of trigonometric ratios of acute
angle A are as follows:
Example 1: Find the values of the six trigonometric ratios
for each of the following indicated angles.

Solution:
The opposite side of
M is 21, the adjacent
side is 20, and the
hypotenuse is 29.
Solution:
The opposite side of
P is 45, the adjacent
side is t, and the
hypotenuse is 53.
Example 2: In a right triangle, the legs measure 5 cm and
12 cm. Find the value of six trigonometric
ratios of the two acute angles of the right
triangle.
Solution:
Let α (Greek letter alpha) and ß (Greek letter beta) be
the acute angles, and let r be the length of the
hypotenuse.
Remember that the length is never negative.
Using the definition of trigonometric ratios.
 Find the six trigonometric ratios of angle θ.
Solution:
Thus,
 Lesson 7.3
Trigonometric
Ratios of Special
Angles
Trigonometric Ratios of Special Angles: 30o, 45o, 60o
Recall that, in an isosceles right triangle, the legs are
congruent. Suppose the lengths of the legs of isosceles rt.
∆ACB is 1 unit.

By Pythagorean Theorem,
The six trigonometric ratios of ∠A = ∠B = 45o are as
follows:
For 30o - 60o right triangle, consider equilateral triangle
ABC of sides 2 units with m∠B = m∠C = 60o.

If ∠A whose measure is also 60o is bisected, m∠DAB =

m∠DAC = 30o. Consequently, BD = DC = 1.

By Pythagorean Theorem,
Hence, the following trigonometric ratios for acute angle 60o
are determined as follows:

For the acute angle 30o, the following trigonometric ratios

are determined:
Example Evaluate the following numerical expressions.
1 45o
a. sin 30o – tan c. tan 30o sin 60o
.

b. cos2 45o + sin2 45o

d. tan 60o cot 60o

Special Acute
sin θ cos θ tan θ csc θ sec θ cot θ
Angle θ

30o

45o

60o
 Lesson 7.4
Trigonometric
Ratios of Other
Angles
Trigonometric Ratios of Other Angles
There are practical problems involving angles other than
the special angles 30o, 60o, and 90o.
There basic unit of angle measure is the degree.
Consider a right angle which is 90 – degree angle. If this
angle is divided equally by 90, one part is 1o.
If 1o is divided equally by 60, one part is called 1 minute,
denoted by 1’. Furthermore, if 1’ is divided equally by 60,
one part is called 1 second, denoted by 1”.
Thus,
1o = 60’
1’ = 60”

The expression 12o25’ means 12 degrees and 25 minutes.

The expression 19o6’1” means 19 degrees, 6 minutes and
1 second.
 For the purpose of convenience, mechanical devices
were invented to provide values of trigonometric ratios for
these angles.
One of these mechanical devices is the Table of Values
of Trigonometric Ratios.
This set of tables contains the values of the six
trigonometric ratios for angles between 0o to 90o and with
intervals of 5 minutes.
A table contains 8 columns: the leftmost column for the
angles between 0o and 45o, the 2nd to 7th column for the
values of six trigonometric ratios, and the rightmost column
for the angles between 45o and 90o.
To find the value of a trigonometric ratio between 0o and
45o, locate the angle from top to bottom. The value is at the
intersection of the row containing the given function
(sin, cos, tan, cot, sec, or csc) and the column.
Example Use a scientific calculator to find the value of
the 2following in 5 – decimal places.
.
a. sin 10o10’10” a. 0.17656
b. cos 200o b. – 0.93969
c. tan 23.8o c. 0.44105
d. csc (– 21o) d. – 2.79043
e. sec 32.1’ e. 1.00004

f. cot 7” f. 29,466.40088
Example Find the approximate principal value of angle Ɵ.
3
.
 Lesson 7.5
Solving Right
Triangles
Example Solve each rt ∆ACB given two of its parts:
1 o
a. Given: A = 12 ; b = 20 mm Find: B, a, c
.
Solution:

a = 20 tan 12o
a = 20 (0.2126)
a = 4.25 mm
c2 = a2 + b2
A + B = 90o c2 = (4.25)2 + (20)2
B = 90o – A c2 = 18.0625 + 400
B = 90o – 12o c2 = 418.0625
B = 78o c = 20.45 mm
 b. Given: B = 35o35’ ; c = 32 cm Find: A, b, a
Solution:

b = 32 sin 35o35’
b = 32 (0.5819)
b = 18.62 cm

A = 90o – B
A = 90o – 35o35’
a = 32 cos 35o35’
A = 54o25’
a = 32 (0.8133)
a = 26.02 cm
 c. Given: a = 0.8 m ; c = 1.0 m Find: A, B, b
Solution:

c2 = a2 + b2
B = 90o – A
12 = (0.8)2 + b2 B = 90o – 53o7’48”
b2 = 1.0 – 0.64 B = 36o52’12”
b2 = 0.36
b = 0.6 m
Example An isosceles triangle has a base of 20 cm. The
vertex
2 angle is 82o. Find the length of each of the
two. equal sides of the triangle.
Solution:
The triangle and the given parts are shown below.

Let c = length of each of the two equal sides of the triangle

c = 15.24 cm
 Lesson 7.6
Angles of
Elevation and
Depression
Angles of Elevation & Depression
The angle of elevation is the angle
between the imaginary line of sight and a
horizontal line, where the object is above the
observer.
 The angle of depression is the angle
between the imaginary line of sight and a
horizontal line, where the object is below the
observer
Example 1:

Fasten your seatbelts

A small plane takes off from an airport and rises
uniformly at an angle of 4°30’ with the horizontal ground.
After it has traveled over a horizontal distance of 600m,
what is the altitude of the plane to the nearest meter?

x
4°30’
600m
 Solution 1:
x
4°30’
600m

Let x = the altitude of the plane as it travels 600m horizontally

Since we have the values of an acute angle and its
adjacent side, we will use

tan Ө = opposite side of Ө

adjacent side of Ө
 Let us solve
x
tan 430 ' 
600m
x = 600m (tan 40 30’)

x = 600 m (0.0787)

x = 47.22m or 47m
Answer:
The altitude of the plane after it has
traveled over a horizontal distance of 600m is
47m.
Example 2: Emergency!!!
A ladder on a fire truck can be turned to a maximum
angle of 70° and can be extended to a maximum length
of 25m. If the base of the ladder is mounted on the fire
truck 2m above the ground, how high above the ground
will the ladder reach?

25m

70°

2m
Solution 2: 25m
x
70°

Let x = the altitude of the ladder mounted from the fire

truck 2m above the ground.
Since we have the values of an acute angle and
its hypotenuse side, we will use

sin Ө = opposite side of Ө

hypotenuse
Let us solve

x = 25 m ( sin 70o )

x = 25 m (0.9397)
Answer: x = 23.49 m or 24 m
The altitude of the ladder after it was
mounted from the fire truck 2 m above the
ground is 24 m.
Example 3:

Find the height of a hot air balloon which is directly

above a nipa hut if the angle of depression of a
carabao, 62 m away from the nipa hut, is 14055’.

Solution

Let h = height of the hot air balloon

Note that the angles shown are identical since they are
alternate interior angles of parallel lines, with the
hypotenuse of the formed triangle as the transversal.

The height of the hot air balloon is 16.52 m.

Example 4:

Find the height of a tree if the angle of elevation to its

topmost part changes from 250 to 450 as the observer
moves 10 m closer to the base of the tree.

Solution:

Let h = height of the tree

x = arbitrary distance from the base of the tree to a
point where the angle of elevation of the top of the
tree is 450 .
Solution:

The tree is 8.74 m high.

Example 5: Happy Landing
A plane is flying at an altitude of 1.5km. The pilot
wants to descend into an airport so that the path of the
plane makes an angle of 5° with the ground. How far
from the airport (horizontal distance) should the descent
begin?

1.5km
5°
x
Solution:
Example 6: Good Morning
From the tip of a shadow by the vertical object
such as a tree, the angle of elevation of the top of the
object is the same as the angle of elevation of the sun.
What is the angle of elevation of the sun if a 7m tall tree
casts a shadow of 18m?

7m
θ

18m
Solution:
Example 7: Sail away
A ship sailed from a port with a bearing of S22°E.
How far south has the ship traveled after covering a
distance of 327km?

327km
x 22°