"Full Coverage": Trigonometry of Right-Angled Triangles

This worksheet is designed to cover one question of each type seen in past papers, for each
GCSE Higher Tier topic. This worksheet was automatically generated by the DrFrostMaths
Homework Platform: students can practice this set of questions interactively by going to
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Question 1
Categorisation: Determine one of the shorter sides of a right-angled triangle.

[Edexcel IGCSE June2010-3H Q7]

Work out the value of 𝑥 .

Give your answer correct to 3 significant figures.

.......................... cm

Question 2
Categorisation: As above (but using a different trigonometric ratio).

[Edexcel IGCSE June2011-4H Q11]

Calculate the length of LM. Give your answer correct to 3 significant figures.

.......................... cm

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Question 3
Categorisation: As above (again using a different trigonometric ratio, and with the
triangle in a different orientation)

[Edexcel IGCSE May2012-4H Q6]

Calculate the length of MN.

Give your answer correct to 3 significant figures.

.......................... cm

Question 4
Categorisation: Determine the hypotenuse of a right-angled triangle.

[AQA IGCSE FM June2012-P2 Q10]

An aircraft flies 𝑦 kilometres in a straight line at an angle of elevation of 28°
The gain in height is 7 kilometres.

Work out the value of 𝑦 .

𝑦 = .......................... km

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Question 5
Categorisation: Use trigonometry twice, where one triangle is embedded in another.

[Edexcel IGCSE June2011-3H Q18]

Triangle ABC is right-angled at B. Angle BAC = 32° AC = 47 m.

D is the point on AB such that angle BDC = 51°

Calculate the length of BD. Give your answer correct to 3 significant figures.

.......................... m

Question 6
Categorisation: As above, but for non-embedded triangles.

[Edexcel IGCSE Jan2016-4H Q19]

𝑃𝑆𝑅 is a straight line.

Angle 𝑃𝑆𝑄 = 90° 𝑃𝑆 = 8.4 cm Angle 𝑄𝑃𝑆 = 38° Angle 𝑆𝑄𝑅 = 44°
Work out the length of 𝑄𝑅. Give your answer correct to 3 significant figures.

𝑄𝑅 = .......................... cm

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Question 7
Categorisation: Use a combination of Pythagoras’ theorem and trigonometry.

[Edexcel GCSE June2012-2H Q18]

The diagram shows a quadrilateral ABCD.

AB = 16 cm. AD = 12 cm. Angle BCD = 40°

Angle ADB = angle CBD = 90°
Calculate the length of CD. Give your answer correct to 3 significant figures.

.......................... cm

Question 8
Categorisation: Determine a distance in a 3D diagram using trigonometry, and
under that ‘angle of elevation’ is the angle upwards from the horizontal.

[Edexcel IGCSE June2010-3H Q20]

A, B and C are points on horizontal

ground. C is due West of B. A is
due South of B and AB = 40 m.
There is a vertical flagpole at B.
From A, the angle of elevation of
the top of the flagpole is 13°
From C, the angle of elevation of
the top of the flagpole is 19°

Calculate the distance AC. Give your answer correct to 3 significant figures.

.......................... m

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Question 9
Categorisation: Determine an angle in a 3D diagram.

[Edexcel GCSE(9-1) Mock Set 1 Autumn 2016 3H Q19]

The diagram shows a pyramid with base 𝐴𝐵𝐶 .

𝐶𝐷 is perpendicular to both 𝐶𝐴 and 𝐶𝐵 .

Angle 𝐶𝐵𝐷 = 34° Angle 𝐴𝐷𝐵 = 45° Angle 𝐷𝐵𝐴 = 60° 𝐵𝐶 = 20 cm.

Calculate the size of the angle between the line 𝐴𝐷 and the plane 𝐴𝐵𝐶 .
Give your answer correct to 1 decimal place.

.......................... °

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Question 10
Categorisation: Using trigonometry twice, both to find a side and an angle.

[Edexcel GCSE Nov2016-2H Q15]

AB = 15 m BC = 24 m Angle BAD = 62°

Work out the size of angle BCD. Give your answer correct to 1 decimal place.

.......................... °

Question 11
Categorisation: Use trigonometry in the context of circle theorems.

[Edexcel GCSE Nov2015-2H Q15b]

𝐵 , 𝐶 and 𝐷 are points on the circumference of a circle, centre 𝑂. 𝐵𝑂𝐷 is a diameter of the
circle.

Calculate the length of 𝐵𝐶 .

Give your answer correct to 3 significant figures.

.......................... cm

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Question 12
Categorisation: Know exact values for 𝒔𝒊𝒏, 𝒄𝒐𝒔, 𝒕𝒂𝒏 of 𝟑𝟎°, 𝟒𝟓° and 𝟔𝟎°.

[Edexcel Specimen Papers Set 1, Paper 1F Q27a, Paper 1H Q7a]

Write down the exact value of 𝑐𝑜𝑠 30°

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

Question 13
Categorisation: Use exact trigonometry values to find an unknown side.

Work out the length of 𝐴𝐶 .

Do not use a calculator for this question.

𝐴𝐶 = .......................... 𝑐𝑚

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Question 14
Categorisation: Use exact trig values in harder multi-step problems.

[Edexcel GCSE(9-1) Mock Set 3 Autumn 2017 1H Q20 Edited]

The diagram shows three right-angled triangles.

Given that 𝑦 = 𝑘𝑛 , find the value of 𝑘 .

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

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Question 15
Categorisation: Manipulate surds in the context of trigonometry.

[AQA IGCSE FM Jan2013-P1 Q15 Edited]

Find the value of 𝑥 .

𝑥 = .......................... °

Question 16
Categorisation: Determine an unknown angle using trigonometry.

[Edexcel GCSE Nov-2006-4I Q21, Nov2006-6H Q10]

Work out the value of 𝑥 .

Give your answer correct to 1 decimal place.

.......................... °

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Question 17
Categorisation: As above, but where the angle is described rather than necessarily
indicated on the diagram, e.g. “angle 𝑨𝑩𝑪”.

[Edexcel IGCSE Jan2012-3H Q9a]

Triangle PQR has a right angle at Q. PQ = 3.4 cm and PR = 5.8 cm.

Work out the size of angle QRP. Give your answer correct to 1 decimal place.

.......................... °

Question 18
Categorisation: Use trigonometry in the context of bounds.

[Edexcel IGCSE June2010-3H Q14c]

Triangle ABC is right-angled at B. AB = 20 cm, correct to 1 significant figure.

BC = 8.3 cm, correct to 2 significant figures.
Calculate the lower bound for the value of 𝑡𝑎𝑛 𝑥 ° .

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

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Question 19
Categorisation: Use a combination of Pythagoras theorem and trigonometry to find
an unknown angle.

[Edexcel IGCSE Jan2014(R)-3H Q17]

The diagram shows triangle ABC.

D is the point on AB, such that CD is perpendicular to AB.
AC = 8.3 cm. AD = 4.7 cm. BD = 7.5 cm.

Calculate the size of angle ABC. Give your answer correct to 1 decimal place.

.......................... °

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Question 20
Categorisation: Determine an angle of elevation.

[Edexcel IGCSE May2015(R)-3H Q23]

A, B and C are points on

horizontal ground. B is
due North of A and AB
is 14 m.
C is due East of A and
AC is 25 m. A vertical
flagpole, TX, has its
base at the point X on
BC such that the angle
AXC is a right angle.
The height of the flagpole, TX, is 10 m.

Calculate the size of the angle of elevation of T from A.

Give your answer correct to 1 decimal place.

.......................... °

Question 21
Categorisation: Determine an angle in a 3D diagram.

[Edexcel IGCSE Jan2017-4H Q21b]

The diagram shows a cuboid ABCDEFGH.

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AB = 21 cm and CH = 9 cm.
K is the point on EH such that angle AKB = 68° and BK = 16.5 cm.

Calculate the size of the angle between the line BK and the plane ABCD.
Give your answer correct to 1 decimal place.

.......................... °

Question 22
Categorisation: As above.

[Edexcel IGCSE Jan2013-3H Q21]

The diagram shows a pyramid with a horizontal rectangular base PQRS.
PQ = 16 cm. QR = 10 cm. M is the midpoint of the line PR.
The vertex, T, is vertically above M. MT = 15 cm.

Calculate the size of the angle between TP and the base PQRS.
Give your answer correct to 1 decimal place.

.......................... °

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Question 23
Categorisation: Use trigonometry in the context of volumes of solids.

[Edexcel GCSE(9-1) Mock Set 3 Autumn 2017 3H Q12]

The diagram shows a metal rod, AB, resting inside a cylindrical tin.

The tin is on a horizontal table.

AC is a diameter of the base of the tin.
B is on the top edge of the tin.
BC is vertical.

The radius of the base of the tin is 5 cm.

The volume of the tin is 1178 cm3.

Find the angle between the rod and the base of the tin.
Give your answer correct to the nearest degree.

.......................... °

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Question 24
Categorisation: As above.

[Edexcel IGCSE Jan2014(R)-4H Q21]

The diagram shows a solid cone.

The base of the cone is a horizontal
circle, centre O, with radius 4.5 cm.
AB is a diameter of the base and OV is
the vertical height of the cone.
The curved surface area of the cone is
130 cm2. Calculate the size of the angle
AVB. Give your answer correct to 1
decimal place.

.......................... °

Question 25
Categorisation: Use trigonometry in the context of bearings.

[Edexcel IGCSE Jan2015(R)-3H

Q11]

Town B is 35 km east and 80 km

north of town A.

Work out the bearing of town A

from town B.
Give your answer correct to the
nearest degree.

.......................... °

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Answers

Question 1 Question 12 Question 23

5.13 cm √3 °
56
2

Question 2 Question 24
Question 13
6.22 cm °
58.6
𝐴𝐶 = 3 𝑐𝑚
Question 3 Question 25
Question 14
105 cm °
3 204
𝑘=4
Question 4
Question 15
𝑦 = 14.9 km
°
𝑥 = 60
Question 5
Question 16
20.2 m
°
33.9
Question 6
Question 17
𝑄𝑅 = 9.12 cm
°
35.9
Question 7
Question 18
any value in the range
16.4 cm to 16.5 cm 0.33

Question 8 Question 19
°
48.2 m 42.4

Question 9 Question 20
°
any value in the range 39.3
38.5 ° to 38.6 °
Question 21
Question 10 °
33.1
°
28.9
Question 22
Question 11 °
57.8
any value in the range
2.74 cm to 2.75 cm

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