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MR Barton's Maths Notes: Trigonometry

This document provides notes on solving 3D trigonometry problems. It begins by stating that 3D trigonometry uses the same concepts as 2D trigonometry, including Pythagoras' theorem, sine, cosine, and tangent. The only difference is that it can be harder to identify the right triangles. Two examples are then worked through to demonstrate how to identify right triangles in 3D diagrams and use trigonometric functions to calculate unknown side lengths and angles.

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322 views10 pages

MR Barton's Maths Notes: Trigonometry

This document provides notes on solving 3D trigonometry problems. It begins by stating that 3D trigonometry uses the same concepts as 2D trigonometry, including Pythagoras' theorem, sine, cosine, and tangent. The only difference is that it can be harder to identify the right triangles. Two examples are then worked through to demonstrate how to identify right triangles in 3D diagrams and use trigonometric functions to calculate unknown side lengths and angles.

Uploaded by

Ibtsam Yossef
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Mr Barton’s Maths Notes

Trigonometry

3. 3D

www.mrbartonmaths.com
With thanks to www.whiteboardmaths.com for the images!
3. 3D Trigonometry

The Secret to Solving 3D Trigonometry Problems

• 3D Trigonometry is just the same as bog-standard, flat, normal trigonometry

• All1.wePythagoras
need are the skills we learnt in the last two sections:

2. Sin, Cos and Tan

• The only difference is that is a little bit harder to spot the right-angled triangles

• But onceDraw
you spot them:
- Label them out flat
- Fill in your sides
- Work the information that you do know
- out what you don’t in the usual way!

• And if you can do that, then you will be able to tick another pretty tricky topic off your list!
Example 1

The diagram below shows a record breaking wedge of Cheddar Cheese in which rectangle PQRS
is perpendicular (at 900 to) to rectangle RSTU. The distances are shown on the diagram.
Calculate: (a) The distance QT (b) The angle QTR

S Q
2.5 m
R
T

4.9 m 7.8 m
U
Working out the answer (a):

The first thing we need to figure out is what we are actually trying to work out!
We need the line QT: P

S Q
2.5 m
R
T

4.9 m 7.8 m
U

Now, as I said, the key to this is spotting the right-angled triangles…


Well, I can see a nice one: TQR.
That contains the length we want, and we already know how long QR is…
So now all we need to do is work out length TR…
Working Out TR:
P
Okay, if you look carefully, you
should be able to see a right-angled
triangle on the base of this wedge of S Q
cheese
It’s the triangle TRU: 2.5 m
R
T
T
a c 4.9 m 7.8 m
?
4.9 m U

Well, we have two sides and we want to


U 7.8 m R
work out the Hypotenuse… This looks
b like a job for Pythagoras!
c 2  4.92  7.82
1. Label the sides
c  24.01  60.84
2
2. Use the formula: c2  a2  b2
c 2  84.85 3. Put in the numbers:

c  84.85
c  9.211...m
Working Out TQ: P

Okay, so now we have all we need to S Q


be able to calculate TQ.
Just make sure you draw the correct
2.5 m
right-angled triangle! R
T 9.21… m
Q 4.9 m 7.8 m
c ?
2.5 m U
b
T 9.21… m R Once again, we have two sides and we
a
want to work out the Hypotenuse… This
looks like a job for Pythagoras!
c 2  9.21...2  2.52
1. Label the sides
c 2  84.85  6.25
2. Use the formula: c2  a2  b2
c 2  91.1 3. Put in the numbers:

c  91.1
c  9.54m (2dp)
Working out the answer (b): P

Again, we must be sure we know


what angle the question wants us S
to find! Q
I have marked angle QTR on the 2.5 m
9.54 m
diagram  R
T 9.21 m
4.9 m 7.8 m
So now we draw our right-angled
U
triangle:
H Q
9.54 m O To calculate the size on an angle, we must
2.5 m use either sin, cos or tan, which means first
 we must label our sides!

T 9.21 m A R
Now, because we actually know all three
lengths, we can choose! I’m going for tan!
Tan θ = o ÷ a

Tan θ = 0.27144…
15.20 (1dp)
Example 2

The diagram below shows a plan of a tent that I am trying to erect before the rain comes. OP is
a vertical pole, and O is at the very centre of the rectangle QRST. The lengths and angles are
as shown on the diagram. Calculate the height of the vertical pole OP.

48o O R
T

5m 12 m
S
1. Working Out OT:
T
You should be able to see that if we can
work out OT, we will then have a right- a ? c
angled triangle which will give us OP! 5m
So, to get started we need to use the
base of the rectangle: R
S
Well, OT is half way along the line TR 12 m b
line, so it must be… 6.5m

P c 2  52  122
c 2  25  144
H O
? c 2  169
c  169
c  13m
48 0

T O 2. Working Out OP:


6.5 m A
And now we have a right-angled triangle
o = Tan θ x a where we know one length (TR), and we
know one angle (OTP)… so we can work
out any side using a bit of sin, cos or
tan!
7.22 m (2dp)
Good luck with
your revision!

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