MATH III

PLANE
TRIGONOMETRY

MODULE 4

Reynart Montejo, MAT-Science

Instructor
INCLINED PATHS IN SURVEYIN
Let us assume that the Earth is a plane surface in our neighborhood except as points on the surface are
elevated above or below the horizontal plane. If M and P are points at different elevations, the horizontal
projection of the directed line segment MP is called course MP.
V
The acute angle α made by MP with the horizontal is called inclination
P of MP. In the figure, MH is course MP and MK is the vertical projection
K
of MP.

α (course MP) = MP cos α ; (1)

H M (vertical projection of MP) = MP sin α ; (2)

vertical projection of MP
tan α = course MP
(3)

We desired, a negative sign is prefixed to the inclination and to the vertical projection of MP if P is
below M, but these signs are not used in (1), (2) and (3).

Example 1. A surveyor goes from M to R by the broken line path, MP, PQ and QR where M, P, Q and R
lie in the same vertical plane. Find the length of MR, its inclination and course MR, if MP, PQ and QR have the
lengths and inclinations given in the following table.

Solution 1. The student should construct a figure. We compute courses and vertical projections by use
of (1), (2) and table VII:
(course PQ) = 300 cos 7° 30’ = 297.4; etc.
LINE INCLIN. LENGTH COURSE VERTICAL PROJECTION
MP 15° 20’ 200 yd 192.9 yd (+) 52.9 yd
PQ (-) 7° 30’ 300 yd 297.4 yd (-) 39.1 yd
QR 9° 10’ 500 yd 493.6 yd (+) 79.6 yd
MR 983.9 yd (+) 93.4 yd

Solution 2. We add courses and vertical projections for the last row in the table and then use (3) and (1)

93.4 983.9
tan α = ; α = 5° 25’. MR = = 988 yd
983.9 cos 5° 25′

In referring to the direction of an inclined line MP, the surveyor means the direction of course MP; this is
the direction automatically given by his measurements with a transit.

RADIAN AND MIL MEASURE

RADIAN MEASURE
One radian is the measure of an angle which, if its vertex is placed at he center of a circle, subtends on
the circumference an arc equal o the radius of the circle.
 Illustration 1. In the figure, BOC is 1 radian. Hence, the length of the C
subtended arc BC is r. r
Since an arc of length r subtends an angle of one radian at the center,
hence the whole circumference, whose length is 2π x r, subtends 2π x (one O B
r
radian) or 2π radians. Since the whole circumference subtends 360°, hence
360° = 2π radians, or
180° = π radians; (1)
𝜋
1° = 180radians = 0.0174533 radians; (2)

180°
1 radian = 𝜋
= 57.2958°, approximately (3)

Thus, to change from degrees to radians, multiply the number if degrees by π/180. To change from
radians to degrees, multiply the number of radians by 180/π. Since 180° = π radians, any angle which is a
convenient multiple of 180° is the same multiple of π radians.

5 5
Illustration 2. 6
𝜋 radians = 6 (180°) = 150°
1 1
90° = 2(180°) = 2 𝜋 radians = 1.5708 radians
180° (3.2)(180°)
3.2 rad = 3.2 = = 183.35°
𝜋 3.1416

Illustration 3. To change 143° 27’ to radians, first express 27’ as a decimal part of 1° and multiply by
π/180.
27
27’ = 60 (1°) = .45°
(143.45)(𝜋) (143.45)(3.1416)
143.45 = 180
rad. == 180
rad. = 2.5037 rad.

RELATION BETWEEN ARC, ANGLE AND RADIUS.

In a circle of radius r, let s represent the length of the arc subtended on the circumference by a central
angle of θ radians. Since 1 radian at the center subtends an arc whose length is r, hence θ radians subtends
an arc whose length is θ . r. That is
s = r . θ; (1)
arc = (radius) X (angle, expressed in radians) (2)

Illustration 1. If r = 25 ft. and s = 75 ft., then from (1),

s 75
Θ= = = 3 radians
r 25
Example 1. Find the length of the arc subtended by a central angle of 35° in a circle whose radius is 20
feet.
Solution 1. Find the radian measure if 35°
𝜋 7𝜋
Θ = 35 (180) = 36
radians
2. r = 20,
7𝜋 35𝜋
S = r θ = 20 ( 36 ) = 9
or 12.2 feet
Note: A problem like Example 1 can also be solved by use of a simple proportion relating to the circle and without
use of radian measure. Thus, s: 2πr = θ : 360°, or the arc subtended by θ bears the same ratio to the circumference as θ
bears to 360°
LINEAR AND ANGULAR VELOCITY
Consider an object P which is moving with uniform velocity on the circumference of a circle with center
O and radius r.

Let v be the length of arc passed over by P in one unit of

time; then v represents the linear velocity of P in its path. s
Let ω (called omega) be the angle through which OP turns
v
about O in one unit of time; we shall call ω the angular θ
ω
velocity of P with respect to O.
O p
r
If ω is measured in radians, then,
v = rω (1)
If, in t units of time, P moves over an arc of length s and OP revolves through an angle θ, then
s=vt ; θ=ωt (2)

Example 1. If P moves 38 ft. in 4 seconds on the circumference of a circle whose radius is 6 ft., find the
Angular velocity of P.

19
Solution 1. From s = v t, 38 = 4v; v= 2
ft./s
19 19
2. from (1), 2
= 6ω; ω = 12 radians per sec

Example 2. A belt passes over the rim of a flywheel, 30 inches in diameter. Find he speed of the belt if
it drives the wheel at the rate of 5 revolutions per second.

Solution 1. The belt moves with the same speed as a point on the rim
Solution 2. One revolution equals 2π radians; hence ω = 5 X 2π = 10π radians
Solution 3. From (1), v = 15 (10π) = 150π = 471.2 in. per sec. (the belt speed)