11th Grade- PRECALCULUS

Solving Situational Problems Involving Inverse Trigonometric Functions and

Trigonometric Equations

1. The distance from a boat to a lighthouse is 100 feet and the lighthouse is 120 feet tall.
What is the angle of depression from the top of the lighthouse to the boat?

120ft.

100ft.
SOLUTION:
opposite
tanθ=
adjacent
120 ft
tanθ=
100 ft
tan θ=1.2
θ = 50.2°
therefore the angle of depression from the top of the lighthouse to the boat is 50.2 ° .

2. You are standing 100 ft from an arch that is 68 ft tall. At what angle do you have to
look up to see the top of the arch? Assume you are 5 ft tall.

68ft.
5ft.
100ft
.

SOLUTION:
opposite
tanθ=
adjacent
Since we are assuming our height as 5ft, subtract it to 68ft and we have 63ft.
63 ft
tanθ=
100 ft
tanθ=0.63
θ = 32.2°
In conclusion, I should look up at an angle of 32.2° to see the top of the arch
3. The angle of elevation of the top of a church to a point 100 feet away from the base is
60° . Find the height of the church.

100ft.
60

SOLUTION:
Let x be the height of the church
opposite
tanθ=
adjacent
x
tan60 °=
100 ft
x
100 tan 60 °=( )100
100 ft
100 tan 60 °=x
100(1.7320)=x
173.20 = x
x = 173.20 ft.
therefore, the height of the church is 173.20 ft.

For number 4-7, please refer to this problem.

You are standing looking at a large painting on the wall. The bottom of the painting is 1
ft above your eye level. The painting is 10 feet tall. Assume you are standing x feet from
the painting and that the angle θ is formed by the lines of vision to the bottom and to the
top of the painting.

4. Draw a picture to represent this situation.

10
ft

1 ft θ
θ

x
5. Solve for θ in terms of x .

SOLUTION:
opposite
tanθ=
adjacent
11
tanθ=
x
−1 11
θ=tan
x
1
tanθ=
x
−1 1
θ=tan
x
−1 11 1
θ=tan −tan −1
x x

6. If you are standing 10 feet from the painting, what is θ ?

SOLUTION:
−1 11 −1 1
θ=tan −tan
x x
−1 11 −1 1
θ=tan −tan
10 10
θ=47.7−5.7
θ=¿ 42°

7. If θ=30° , how far are you standing from the wall (to the nearest foot)?

SOLUTION:
opposite
tanθ=
adjacent
11
tan30 °=
x
√❑
❑
x=11 √ ❑
x=19.05
x=19 ft .
in conclusion, I am standing 19ft. Away from the wall.