Tangent ratio

The history of mankind is full of examples of how we used features of similar triangles to
build structures (for example Egyptian pyramids) . survey the sky (as Greek astronomers did).
and survey the land (for instance to produce Eratosthenes' map of the world).

Trigonometry (triangle measurement) is used today by architects. engineers. surveyors and

scientists. It allows us to solve right-angled triangles without the use of scale drawings.
The sides of a right-angled triangle are given special names which must be easily recognised.

Remember
sideo side Q
opposite adjacent
to angle y toangley

side a adjacent side 0 opposite

to angle x toangley

Activity TO
Triangles X. Y and Z are similar.

• For each triangle. measure the sides opposite (0) and adjacent (a) to the 30° angle in
millimetres.
• Calculate the ratio of Q to 2 decimal places for X. Y and Z.
a Key Points
• What do you notice?
opposite side 0
You should have found that the ratio 0: a for the 30° angle is the same for all three triangles. tanx= . . =-
a djCl<': nl'sld a
This is the case for any similar right-angled triangle with a 30° angle. and should not
surprise you because you were calculating the gradient of the same slope each time.

The actual value of d'

opposite
The ratio d'
tanx.
a Jacen
opposite
a Jacen
t for 30° is 0.577 350 (to 6 d.p.).

t for a given angle x is a fixed number. It is called the tangent of x, or

zjx
YP

a adj to x
0 opp to x 1-t.

-l'T opp
t 1--"\1\;
Oiif >
Calculating sides
If you know an angle - e.g. an angle of elevation or angle of depression - and one side, you can
find the length of another side by using the tangent ratio.

Example 1
Find the length of the side p correct to 3 significant figures.

p
tan 30° = 12 cm

12 cm X tan 30° = p
p = 6.93 cm (to 3 sJ.)

DIIII.IIDJa . 6.92820' (to 6 sJ.)

Example 2
PQ represents a 25m tower, and R is a surveyor's mark p m away from Q.
The angle of elevation of the top of the tower from the surveyor 's
mark R on level ground is 60°.
Find the distance RQ correct to 3 significant figures.

tan 60° = 12
p
p X tan 60° = 25 T OadjPP
25
P = tan 60° angle of elevation
p = 14.4 (to 3 sJ.)
pm
N.l/338 ( LO 6 .f.)

Exercise 47
In this exercise, give answers correct to 3 significant figures.
In Questions 1-2, which sides are the hypotenuse, opposite and adjacent to the given angle a?

3 What is the value of tan b for this triangle?

8
For Questions 4-9, find the length of side x.

5~ ~577
4 5 6

LJ' 10
30·
x

LJ'5cm
7 8 9

LJ' 6cm
53"
x

10 The angle of elevation of the top of a cliff from a boat 125m away from its foot is 35°.
Find the height of the cliff.
11 Find the cross-sectional area of the pitched roof WXY if WX = WY.

y~----------~~-
20m X

Exercise 47*
Give answers correct to 3 significant figures.
For Questions 1-4, find the length of the side marked x.
1 2
x

25cm

3 4
x

5 The gnomon (central pin) of the giant equatorial sundial in Jaipur, India, is an enormous
right-angled triangle. The angle the hypotenuse makes with the base is 27°. The base is
44 m. Find the height of the gnomon.

For Questions 6 and 7, find the lengths of x and y .

6 7
y

10cm
 8 From the top of a 25m high cliff. the angle of depression of
a jet ski at point A is 20°. The jet ski moves in a straight line
towards the base of the cliff so that its angle of depression 5 s
later at point B is 3 0°.
a Calculate the distance AB.
b Find the average speed of
A B the jet sId in kilometres/hour.

If you lmow the adjacent and opposite sides of a right-angled triangle. you can find the angles in
E
the triangle. For this 'inverse' operation. you need to use the II&] buttons on your calculator.

Example 3
The diagram shows Luther on a slide.
Find angles x and y to the nearest degree.

3 an dt
t anx=E 4 .5
anY = T

Key Points
To calculate an angle from
EBmlllJilJlI.mllll 33.6907 (to 6 sJ.)

a tangent ratio. use the EaDII_mIlI1DII 563099 (to 6 sJ.)

• lImor So x = 34° and y = 56° (to the nearest degree).
BID a buttons.

Remember N

Bearings are measured

• clockwise
• from North.

A j 310° from B.
B i, 130° from .

Exercise 48
Find the angles that have these tangents. giving your answers correct to 2 significant figures.
1 1.000 2 0.268
3 Find the angle with a tangent of 2.747. giving your answer correct to 3 significant figures.
For Questions 4 and 5. find the angle a correct to 1 decimal place.
5

14
 ;rscm
For Questions 6 and 7, find the angle x correct to 1 decimal place.

8 A bell tower is 65 m high. Find the angle of elevation, to 1 decimal place, of its top from a
point 150m away on level ground.
9 Ollie is going to walk in the rain forest. He plans to go up a slope along a straight footpath
from point P to point Q. The hill is 134 m high, and distance PQ on the map is 500 m.
Find the angle of the hill.

Exercise 48*
1 ABeD is a rectangle.
Find angles a and b to the nearest degree.

D 16m c
For Questions 2 and 3, find angle a.
2 3 Rectangle

3S.4cml~1
200cm
10cm

4 The grid represents a map on which villages

X, Y and Z are shown. The sides of the grid
squares represent 5 km.
Find, to 1 decimal place, the bearing of
a Y from X b X from Y
c ZfromX d ZfromY

Skm
5 A bird watcher spots an eagle perched at the top of
a tree of height h metres. The angle of elevation from
the ornithologist to the eagle is 20 and she stands
0 1
h
--, -.
'. "
100 m from the base of the tree. Find h.
1 - - - - 1 00 m - - - - -

6 Find the area of an equilateral triangle with total perimeter 60 cm.

7 A 5 m flagpole is secured by two ropes PQ and PRo P
Point R is the mid-point of SQ. Find angle a to
1 decimal place.
 8 Given that tan 30° = A and tan 60° = 13,
show that the exact value of the height of the
tree in metres is given by 2513.

---SOm

Exercise 49 (Revision)
In this exercise, give answers correct to 3 significant figures.
For Questions 1-6, find the value of x.

d~:J
1S

,~
1 2 3

10
~,
8

~4
x

For Questions 7-9, find angle a.

5

,7 x 6

~,
12

,~ 5~
7 8 11 9

10
~7 8

10 Find the area of the isosceles triangle A

B~C
ABC, given thattan 30° = 0.577.

6cm

11 Calculate the angle between the longest side and the diagonal of a 577 mm by 1000 mm
rectangle.
For Questions 12-15, find the value of angle e.
12 13

1Scm
30cm

14 15

16cm
Exercise 49* (Revision)
Give answers to 3 significant figures.
For Questions 1-4, find the lengths of sides x and y.
1 2 20cm Y 3

x 10m

r
l4em
x Y

5 The angle of elevation to the top of the CN Tower, Toronto, Canada, from a point on the
ground 50m away from the tower is 84.8°. Find the height of the CNTower.
6 A harbour H is 25 km due North of an airport A. A town T is 50 km due East of H.
a Calculate the bearing of T from A. b Calculate the bearing of A from T.
7 The diagram shows the lines of
sight of a car-driver. (No"o,,,',) ~
a Calculate the driver's 'blind'
distance D in metres.
b--::::::-:--~- - - :- - -~~
b Why is this distance important '0 O.85 m
in the car design?
8 Ezola skis down a straight slope from point A to point B.
The difference in height between these two points is 125 m,
tA!
and the actual distance AB as viewed on a map is 375 m. 125m :
Calculate the angle of this ski slope.
1 1_____ _ _ _ ____ B
-375m-
9 Find the angle that the line y = 3x - 7 makes with the x-axis.
10 Find the angle that the line 2x + 3y - 4 = 0 makes with the y-axis.
11 An area of an equilateral triangle is 1000 cm1 . Calculate the perimeter of the triangle.

12 An equilateral triangle has sides of 10 m. Its area is equal to that of a circle. Calculate the
circumference of the circle.
13 From the top of a cliff of height y m the angle of depression
of a Channel swimmer at X is 30°. She swims directly
towards the base of the cliff such that. 1 minute later, at Y,
the angle of depression from the top of the cliff to the
swimmer is 50°. Given that her speed between X and Y
is 0.75 m/s. find the height of the cliff.
14 Show that the area of an equilateral triangle of side 2x is xl/3, given that tan 60° = /3.
15 A lighthouse is 25m high.
From its top. the angles of depression of
two buoys due North of it are 45° and 30°.
Given that tan 30° = A. show that the
25m

distance x. in metres, between the buoys is

25(/3 - 1).