PYTHAGORAS

AND
TRIGONOMETRY
PYTHAGORAS’ THEOREM

• In a right-angled triangle, the lengths of the sides are connected by

Pythagoras’ theorem:

• h is the hypothenuse, it’s the longest side, opposite side to right

angle;
• a and b are shorter sides.
PYTHAGORAS’ THEOREM

• Activity: find the following exact lengths:

• A) AB;

• B) BC;

• C) AC
PYTHAGORAS’ THEOREM

• Activity: find the exact distance between points P and Q with coordinates (11,1) and (17,19) respectively.
PYTHAGORAS’ THEOREM

• Activity: the cuboid PQRSTUVW is shown on the right:

• A) Find the exact length PR;

• B) Find the exact length RT.

T R I G O N O M E T RY – S I N , C O S , TA N

• In a right-angled triangle, the side opposite to the right angle is

called hypothenuse;
• The side opposite to an angle x is called opposite and the side next
to an angle x is called adjacent;
• The three sides are linked by the following formulas:
T R I G O N O M E T RY – S I N , C O S , TA N

• The term angle of elevation denotes the angle from the horizontal
upward to an object. An observer’s line of sight would be above the
horizontal.

• The term angle of depression denotes the angle from the horizontal
downward to an object. An observer’s line of sight would be below
the horizontal.

• The angle of elevation and depression are congruent.

T R I G O N O M E T RY – S I N , C O S , TA N

• A bearing is defined as an angle measured

clockwise from north. Bearings are usually
written as a three-figure bearing. For
example, an angle 50° from north is written
as 050°.
T R I G O N O M E T RY – S I N , C O S , TA N

• Activity: Melissa is building a slide for an adventure playground.

• A) The first slide she builds has an 8m high vertical ladder and a slide of 24m. She wants to work out if the
slide is too steep, so she stands at the bottom of the slide and looks up. Find m, the slide’s angle of
elevation, to 1 d.p.;

• B) The second slide in the park has a 4m ladder, and the base of the slide reached the ground 5.5m from the
base of the ladder as shown. Find q, the angle of depression at the top of the second slide to 1 d.p.
T R I G O N O M E T RY – S I N , C O S , TA N

• Activity: Find the missing angle z. Give your answer to 1 d.p.

T R I G O N O M E T RY – S I N , C O S , TA N

• Activity: Find the missing angles marked with letters. Give all answers correct to 1 d.p.
T R I G O N O M E T RY – S I N , C O S , TA N

• Activity: Hugh starts at point A and walks 6km north then 5km east to point B. If he had walked directly
from A to B, on what bearing would he have been walking (to the nearest degree)?
T R I G O N O M E T RY – S I N , C O S , TA N

• Activity: A ladder is leaning against the side of a tower. It reaches a

window 20m above the ground. The base of the ladder is placed 8m away
from the bottom of the tower. What is the angle of elevation?
T R I G O N O M E T RY – S I N , C O S , TA N

• Activity: A zip line of length 45m goes between platforms A and B.

Platform A is 80m above the ground and the platform B is 65m above the
ground as shown. Find x, the angle the wire forms with the vertical at
platform A. Give your answer to 1 d.p.
T R I G O N O M E T RY – S I N , C O S , TA N

• Activity: The points P and R have coordinates P(1,3) and R(7,8). Find the bearing of R from P, correct
to 1d.p.
THE SINE AND COSINE RULES

• The Sine rule: For any triangle next formula is valid:

THE SINE AND COSINE RULES

• Activity: Point B is 13m north of point A. Point C lies 19m from point B, on
bearing of 052° from A. Find the bearing of C from B, to the nearest degree.
THE SINE AND COSINE RULES

• Activity: A triangle XYZ is such that angle YXZ = 55°, angle XYZ = 40° and length YZ = 83m. Find:
• A) the length XZ;

• B) the length XY.

THE SINE AND COSINE RULES

• Activity: A triangular piece of metal PQR is such that angle RPQ = 61°, length QR= 13.1mm and length
PQ=7.2mm. Find the size of an angle PQR correct to 1 d.p.
THE SINE AND COSINE RULES

• The Cosine rule: For any triangle next formula is valid:

• Use the cosine rule to find one side when you know the other two sides and the angle between them,
or to find the angle when you know all three other sides!
THE SINE AND COSINE RULES

• Activity: Village B is 12 miles north of village A. Village C is 37 miles north-east of village A. Find
the direct distance between village B and village C, correct to 3 s.f.
THE SINE AND COSINE RULES

• Activity: Two ramblers set off walking from point P. The first rambler walks for
2km on a bearing of 025° to point A. The second rambler walks for 3km on a
bearing of 108° to point B. Find the direct distance between A and B.
AREA

• To find the area of any triangle, use the formula:

AREA

• Activity: A triangular piece of paper has a side of length 4.5cm and a side of length 7.1cm. The angle
between these two sides is 67°. Find the are of the piece of paper.
AREA

• Activity: A field in the shape of an equilateral triangle has sides of length 32m. Find the are of the field.
AREA

• Activity:
• A) Use the sine rule to calculate y;
• B) Find the are of the triangle.