5.8Solving3DTrigProblems.

notebook April16,2015

5.8Solving3DTrigProblems
20150416
3-dimensional trigonometry problems often involve constructing 2 or 3 triangles and solving
for multiple sides and angles in order to reach the final answer. Typically drawing the
triangle correctly is the most difficult aspect of these questions.

#1.WhenflyinginaplaneoverPrinceEdwardIslanditispossibletoseeallthewayacrosstheislandfrom
onesidetotheother.Thepilotofsmallplanespotsthewesternedgeoftheislandatanangleofdepression
of61oandtheeasternedgeoftheislandwithanangleofdepressionof3o.Iftheplaneisflyingatan
altitudeof10.5km,howlongisPrinceEdwardIsland?

1
5.8Solving3DTrigProblems.notebook April16,2015

#2.Tworoadsdivergeinawoodatanangleof39o.Twohikerstraveling
together,decidetosplitupatthispoint.Thefirstoneheadsdownonepath
at6.2km/h,whiletheotherhikermovesdownthesecondpathat5.4km/h.
Aftertravelingforanhourandahalf,thefirsthikershootsupaflarethatrises
800mintotheair.Howfarapartarethetwohikersatthispoint?Withwhat
angleofelevationdoesthesecondhikerseetheflareatit'shighestpoint?

2
5.8Solving3DTrigProblems.notebook April16,2015

#3.Alighthouseoperatorspotstwoboatsoutintheocean.Oneoftheboatscanbe
seeninthedirectionN35oWandatanangleofdepressionof4oandtheotherboatcan
beseenatN12oEandatanangleofdepressionof6o.Ifthelighthouseis24mtall,how
farapartarethetwoboats?

3
5.8Solving3DTrigProblems.notebook April16,2015

#4.

Howhighisthetopofthecliff?

AssignedWork:pp.332334
#3b,46,11,13

4
5.8Solving3DTrigProblems.notebook April16,2015

#5.Markistakingaweatherballoonride.Whenthe
balloonis900mintheair,heseesachurchatS38oE
withanangleofdepressionof28o.Hecontinuesto
riseanother100mandturnstoseeanartgalleryat
S71oWandanangleofdepressionof19o.Howfaris
thechurchfromtheartgallery?

5
5.8Solving3DTrigProblems.notebook April16,2015

#6.Twomodelrocketsarelaunched120mapart.FromanobservationsiteO,
thelaunchpadforrocketAcanbeseeninthedirectionN28oW,whilethe
launchpadforrocketBcanbeseenatN40oE.Theangleofelevationfromthe
observationlocationtorocketAis29oand37oforrocketB.Ifthedistance
betweentheobservationsiteandthetwolaunchpadsisthesame,whatisthe
altitudeofeachrocket?

sincethetriangleabovehas2equalsidelengths,
itisanisosocelestriangleandalsohas2equal
angles(AandB)

6
5.8Solving3DTrigProblems.notebook April16,2015

7
5.8Solving3DTrigProblems.notebook April16,2015

8
5.8Solving3DTrigProblems.notebook April16,2015