Lesson 2: Trigonometric ratios in right triangle

I. Basic knowledge
1. Trigonometric ratios.
In a right-angled triangle, we can define actually four trigonometric ratios.
Consider the right triangle ABC below.
In this triangle we let θ represent ∠ B,
then the leg denoted by a is the side
adjacent to θ , and the leg denoted by b is
the side opposite to θ .
opposite
 sin θ=¿ hypotenuse
adjacent
 cos θ=¿ hypotenuse
oppostie
 tanθ=¿ adjacent
adjacent
 cot θ=¿ opposite
2. Lines of sight.
- Line of sight is an imaginary line that connects the eye of an observer to the
object being observed.
- The angle of elevation is the angle from the horizontal to the line of the
sight of the observer to the object above.
- The angle of depression is the angle from the horizontal to the line of sight
of the observer to the object below.

1
tun

Vocabulary
New word Meaning New word Meaning
Right triangle Ratio
Hypotenuse Trigonometry
Opposite Elevation
Adjacent Depression

II. Examples:
EXAMPLE 1.1
Use calculator to complete the table below that summarizes the values of the
trigonometric ratios of the angles.
TRIGONOMETRIC RATIOS OF THE ANGLES
θ sin θ cos θ tan θ cot θ
30°
45 °
60°

EXAMPLE 1.2
The line AB represents the glass walkway between the
Petronas Twin Towers in Kuala Lumpur.
The walkway is 58.4m long and is 170m above the ground.
The angle of elevation of the point P from A is 78.3° .
Calculate the height of P above the ground.
...........................................................................................................................................................................................
...........................................................................................................................................................................................
...........................................................................................................................................................................................
...........................................................................................................................................................................................
...........................................................................................................................................................................................

2
tun

EXAMPLE 1.3
Use the definition of trigonometric ratios of an acute angle θ to prove the below
identities:
sin θ cos θ
a. tanθ=¿ ; cot θ=¿ ; tanθ × cot θ=1.
cos θ sin θ
b. sin2 θ+cos 2 θ=1.
...........................................................................................................................................................................................
...........................................................................................................................................................................................
...........................................................................................................................................................................................
...........................................................................................................................................................................................
...........................................................................................................................................................................................

EXAMPLE 1.4
Given the angles of the triangles below, find the values of the four trigonometric
ratios.
Let a be the leg of a 45 °−45°−90° Let a be the shorter leg of a 30° −60° −90°
triangle. triangle.

sin 45 °=¿ cos 45°=¿ ¿ sin 30° =¿ cos 30° =¿ tan30 °=¿

tan 45°=¿ cot 45 °=¿ sin 60° =¿ cos 60 °=¿ cot 60° =¿

III. Exercises:
Using figure 1 and 2, match each trigonometric concept found in column A with the
correc ratio found in column B.
Column A Column B
1. tan A a. b ÷ c
2. cos A b. p ÷ q
3. sin P c. q ÷ r
4. cot P d. r ÷ p
5. 1 ÷cos P e. a ÷ b

ANS: 1 – 2– 3– 4– 5–

3
tun

Bruce drew the triangle at the right.

...........................................................................................................................................................................................
...........................................................................................................................................................................................
...........................................................................................................................................................................................
...........................................................................................................................................................................................
...........................................................................................................................................................................................
Find the value of each variable used in the figures. If your answer is not an integer,
express it in simplest radical form.
a. b.

c. d.

...........................................................................................................................................................................................
...........................................................................................................................................................................................
...........................................................................................................................................................................................
...........................................................................................................................................................................................
...........................................................................................................................................................................................
...........................................................................................................................................................................................
...........................................................................................................................................................................................

An observer in a lighthouse 48.8m above sea level saw two vessels moving directly
towards the lighthouse. He observed that the angles of the depression are 42° and 35°
. Find the distance between the two vessels, assuming they are comng fom the same
side of the tower.
...........................................................................................................................................................................................
...........................................................................................................................................................................................
...........................................................................................................................................................................................
...........................................................................................................................................................................................
...........................................................................................................................................................................................
...........................................................................................................................................................................................
...........................................................................................................................................................................................
...........................................................................................................................................................................................

4
tun

After heavy winds brought by “Hanging Habagat” damaged a house, workers placed
an 8-m brace against its side a 45 ° angle. Then, at the same spot on the ground, they
placed a second longer brace to make a 30° angle with the side of the house. Show
the complete sollution for each question below.
a. How long is the longer brace? Round your answer to the nearest tenth of a meter.
b. About how much higher on the house does the longer brace reach than the
shorter brace?
...........................................................................................................................................................................................
...........................................................................................................................................................................................
...........................................................................................................................................................................................
...........................................................................................................................................................................................
...........................................................................................................................................................................................
...........................................................................................................................................................................................
...........................................................................................................................................................................................
...........................................................................................................................................................................................
...........................................................................................................................................................................................