CHAPTER

CHAPTER ANGLES OF ELEVATION

10
10 AND
DEPRESSION

Angle of depression

Angle of elevation
•The figure shows a
student looking at
national flag at Merdeka T (object)
Square.

• The line EF is Lin

eo
perpendicular to the fs
igh
vertical flagpole at F, t
therefore EF is the
horizontal line through
the point of observation E.
F E
• ET is the line of sight of Horizontal line
the object T from E.

• The angle between EF

and ET,< FET is known
as the angle of elevation.
ANGLE OF ELEVATION ?
The angle of elevation is the angle between the
horizontal line and the line of sight of an object A (object)
when the object is above the horizontal line.

ig ht
ofs
ine
L

Angle of elevation
O
Horizontal line B
 F Horizontal line E
• The figure shows
a base ball fan
watching a base ball
match from a
pavilion.
ht
f sig
• The angle between e o
Li n
the horizontal line EF
and the line of sight
EB, < FEB, is known
as the angle of
depression B
ANGLE OF DEPRESSION ?
The angle of depression is the angle between the horizontal
line and the line of sight of an object when the object is below
the horizontal line

O Horizontal line Y
Angle of depression

Line
of sigh
t
X
P
Horizontal line Q
Angle of depression

Angle of elevation
R S
Horizontal line

< PQR = < QRS

(Alternate angles).
Angle of elevation and the corresponding
angle of depression are equal.
How to solve problems involving angle of
elevation and angle of depression ?

Sketch a diagram to represent the

Step given situation

1 Solve the problem using trigonometric

Step ratios and/or Pythagoras’ Theorem

2
TRIGONOMETRIC RATIO

Sin θ = O

OPPOSITE SIDE (O)

H)
(
S E H
NU
OT
E
Cos θ = A
P
HY H
θ Tan θ = O
A
ADJACENT SIDE (A)
PYTHOGORAS’ THEOREM

c
b a 2
+ b 2
= c 2

θ
a
Solving Problems
Adriel works as a cattle herder. While looking over his cattle
from the top of a hill, his eye, which is 1.5 m above the
ground, made an angle of depression of 540 to the nearest
cattle. The distance between the bottom of a hill and the
nearest cattle is 165 m. Find, in m, the height of the hill.
 K J
1.5 m 540
L

540
M 165 m N

Let the cattle = N. Height of the hill =LM

 K J
1.5 m 540
L

540
M 165 m N
In ∆ KMN,
Tan < MNK = KM
MN
Tan 540 = KM
165
 K J
1.5 m 540
L

540
M 165 m N
KM = 165 x Tan 540
KM = 165 x 1.376
KM = 227.04 m
LM = KM - KL
= 227.04 – 1.5
= 225.54 m
 V

500 m tower

P R

In the diagram, VP is a tower 500 m tall. From V, the angle of

depression of point R is 650 . Calculate the distance, in m,
between P and R.
 V

650

500 m

650
P R
 V
650

500 m

650
P R
In ∆ VPR,
Tan < 650 = VP
PR
= 500
PR
 V
650

500 m

650
P R
PR = 500
tan 650
= 233.15 m
In Diagram 12, J and L are two points on a horizontal plane
LK is a vertical pole.
K

8m

J
12 m L
DIAGRAM 12

The angle of depression of point J from vertex K is

A 26° 24'
B 28° 46'
C 32° 24'
D 33° 41'
 K

 8
Tan  =
12
8m
 = 33041’

J L
12 m
In Diagram 13, PQ and RS are two vertical poles on
a horizontal plane. The angle of elevation of P
from R is 35° .
P

tm R

4m
15 m
Q S
DIAGRAM 13
Calculate the value of t.

A 10.5
B 14.5
C 16.5
D 20.5
 P

k
350 R
tm

44m
m
15 m
Q S

Tan 35 0 k
P = 15
k k  Tan 35 x15
0

350
Q 15 m k  10.5m
S

t = 10.5 + 4 = 14.5 m