6.

Solution of Triangles and Its Applications

Solutions

Section A
3. (a) In ∆OBC , OC = 5 2 + ( 11) 2
1
1. (a) In ∆OAC , OC = = 3 =6
tan 30°
1 In ∆OAC ,
In ∆OAB , OB = = 3
tan 30° AC = OA 2 + OC 2 − 2(OA)(OC ) cos 60°
Note that ∆OBC is equilateral. 1
= 3 2 + 6 2 − 2(3)(6)  
∴ BC = 3 2
= 27
(b) By symmetry, the angle between the planes
ABC and OBC is ∠AMO . (b) In ∆OAB, AB = 5 2 − 3 2 = 4
 3 3 In ∆ABC ,
In ∆OMC , OM = OC cos 30° = 3  =
 since AB 2 + BC 2 = 4 2 + ( 11) 2
 2  2
AO 1 2 = 27 = AC 2 ,
tan ∠AMO = = =
In ∆AMO , MO 3 3 ∠ABC = 90° .
2 ∴ ∠OBA is the angle between the planes
∴ ∠AMO = 34° (nearest degree) OBC and ABC.
The angle between the planes ABC and OBC The student is correct.
is
34°. (nearest degree) 4. (a) Let BF = x m .
In ∆ABF ,
2. (a) In ∆QRS , QS = 5 2 + 32 − 2(5)(3) cos120° AF = x cos 48°
=7 In ∆ADF ,
DF = AF sin 20°
= x cos 48° sin 20°
(b) In ∆PQR , PQ = 5 2 − 12 = 24
In ∆PRS , PS = 32 − 12 = 8
The angle between the planes PQR and PRS is
∠QPS .
PQ 2 + PS 2 − QS 2
In ∆PQS , cos ∠QPS =
2( PQ)( PS )
24 + 8 − 49
=
2( 24 )( 8 ) In ∆BDF ,
≈ −0.61343 DF
sin θ =
∴ ∠ OPS = 128 ° (nearest degree) BF
∴ The angle between the planes PQR and x cos 48° sin 20°
=
PRS is 128°. (nearest degree) x
∴ θ = 13.2° (nearest 0.1°)
The path makes an angle 13.2° with the

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 horizontal. (nearest 0.1°)
(b) In ∆BDF ,
BD = BF cosθ (b) (i) Substitute h = 20 , x = 40 , α = 8° and
= x cosθ β = 30° into the result of (a),
In ∆ADF , 40 sin 30° sin(8° + θ )
AD = AF cos 20° 20 =
sin(30° − 8°)
= x cos 48° cos 20°
sin 22° = sin(8° + θ )
In ∆ABD ,
θ = 14°
AD
cos ∠ADB =
BD (ii) Consider ∆ADG in Figure 1,
x cos 48° cos 20° h
= tan (α + θ ) =
x cosθ AG
∠ADB = 49.8° (nearest 0.1°) 20
AG ≈
tan 22°
The angle between the planes BDF and ADF
In ∆ACG ,
is
CG
49.8°. (nearest 0.1°) tan θ =
AG
CG = AG tan θ
Section B
20 tan 14°
≈
tan 22°
5. (a) In ∆ABD, ∠ABD = 180° − β and
∴ DC = h − CG
∠BDA = β − α .
20 tan 14°
By the sine law, ≈ 20 −
tan 22°
AD x ∠DAC = θ + 90°
=
sin(180° − β ) sin( β − α ) ≈ 104°
x sin β
AD = The height of point D above the table
sin( β − α )
≈ DC sin(180° − 104°)
In ∆AGD ,
 20 tan 14° 
h = AD sin(α + θ ) =  20 −  sin 76°
 tan 22° 
x sin β sin(α + θ )
= = 7.43 m (3 sig. fig.)
sin( β − α )

Figure 1

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