Chapter 16: ANGLES OF ELEVATION AND DEPRESSION

16.1 Important concepts

16.1.1 ANGLE OF ELEVATION
The angle of elevation of a point A from a lower point O is the acute angle measured up from the
horizontal line through point O to the line of sight, OA.

Angle of elevation
Horizontal line

16.1.2 ANGLE OF DEPRESSION

The angle of depression of a point B from a higher point O to the line of sight, OB

Horizontal line
Angle of depression

Angles of Elevation and Depression

128

Questions According to Examination Format

T
100 m

1. In the diagram, TQ is a vertical flagpole

standing on a horizontal ground. Given
that PQ = 20 m and TQ = 6 m, the angle
of elevation of T and P is
A
B

16.70
17.50

55 m

2. Based on the diagram, find the angle of

depression of the ball from the top of the
building.
A
B

C 72.50
D 73.30

24.20
28.80

C 61.20
D 65.8

R
6.2 m
P

30 m

3. In the diagram, the angle of elevation of

the top of the tree from F is 220. The
height of the tree in metres is
A 11.24
B 12.12

4. In the diagram, angle of depression of

point P from point R is 150. Find the
value of h

C 21.08
D 27.82

A
B

16.6 m
18.9 m

C 21.5 m
D 23.1 m

P
R
2m

5m

2m

5. In the diagram, SQ is a vertical pole

standing on a horizontal ground. Given
that the angle of elevation of S from P
is 300, find the angle of elevation of S
from R
A
B

130
340 43

Angles of Elevation and Depression

C 55017
D 770

16 m

6. In the diagram, PQ and RS are two

vertical poles standing on a horizontal
ground. Given that the angle of
depression of R from P is 100, the
height of PQ in metres is
A
B

129

3.96
4.69

C 4.82
D 4.98

U
M

4.8 m

2.5 m
N

7. In the diagram, MN and UV are two

vertical poles standing on a horizontal
ground. Given that the angle of
depression of M from U is 19.50 NV
in metres is
A
B

6.2
6.5

C 7.1
D 7.3

10 m
G

8m
F

9m

8. In the diagram, E, F and G are three

points on a horizontal ground. PE is a
vertical pole and the angle of elevation of
P from F is 15.50. Find the angle of
depression of G from P
12.50
13.80

A
B

C 14.50
D 14.8

6m
Q

4.2 m
F

T
3.3 m
S

2m
G

P
3.8 m

9. In the diagram, PQ and TS are two

vertical poles on a horizontal plane QRS.
Given that the angle of elevation of P
from R is 380 , the angle of elevation of
P from T is
A
B

18.20
18.80

C 19.40
D 19.8

10.
Angle of elevation of...
P from F
Q from G
R from E

In the diagram, E, F and G are three points on

a horizontal ground. PE, QF and RG are
three vertical poles. Based on the
information in the table, calculate the
perimeter of the triangle EFG
A
B

Angles of Elevation and Depression

Value of angle
22 0
28 0
10 0

130

25.8 m
26.7 m

C 27.6 m
D 28.6 m

6m
P

15 m

11. In the diagram, QR is a vertical pole

on a horizontal ground. The angle of
elevation of R from P is 280. Calculate
the height, in m, of the pole QR
A
B

7.04
7.98

12. In the diagram, PR is a vertical wall 6m

high. The angle of depression of Q
from R is 250. Calculate the distance, in
m, from P to Q

C 13.24
D 28.21

A
B

2.80
8.57

C 12.87
D 22.39

R
18 m

10 m

13. In the diagram, MN represents a tower

standing on horizontal ground. The
angle of depression of L from N is
520. Calculate the height, in m, of the
tower MN
A

7.88
B 9.00

25 m

14. In the diagram, QRS represents a

vertical wall of height 18 m. The angle
of elevation of R from P is 260.
Calculate the height, in m, from R to S
A
B

C 12.80
D 18.81

4.47
5.81

5m
P

20 m

15. In the diagram, QRS represents a

building. The angle of elevation of R
from P is 200 while the angle of
depression of P from S is 300. Calculate
the distance, in m, from R to S
A
B

3.53
4.27

Angles of Elevation and Depression

C 6.81
D 12.19

8m
R

16. In the diagram, PQ and RS are two

vertical poles. The angle of elevation
of Q from R is 220. Calculate the
distance PR in metres
A 8.60
B 12.38

C 18.83
D 27.36

131

C 10.88
D 22.90

18. A man, 1.7 m tall, is standing 20 m from a

monument. The angle of elevation of the top
of the monument from the eyes of the man is
230. The height, in m, of the monument is

S
T
10 m

A
B

4m
P

8.49
10.03

C 10.19
D 45.42

17. In the diagram, P , Q and R are three

points on horizontal ground. PT and RS
are two vertical poles. The angle of
0
elevation of T from Q is 45 whereas
the angle of depression of Q from S is
0
35 . Find the distance, in m, between the
two poles
A 8.19
B 9.74

C 11.00
D 12.19
S

10
m

20 m

R 5m

19. In the diagram, PQ is a vertical pole.

The angle of elevation of P from S is
450. Calculate the angle of depression
of R from P
A
B

1402
36052

20. In the diagram, PS is a vertical pillar.

The angle of depression of R from S is
200. Calculate the distance, in m, from
Q to R

C 41025
D 53 8

Angles of Elevation and Depression

4m

A
B

132

5.40
7.42

C 7.64
D 9.40

SPM Past Year Questions

SPM 2003
1. In Diagram, TS and UV are two vertical poles standing on horizontal ground. The angle of
elevation of V from S is 42 0.

V
S
3m

hm
T

Calculate the value of h.

A 10.4
B 12.0

C 14.1
D 17.9

SPM 2004 (July)

2. In Diagram , S, M and T are collinear points on a horizontal plane. SM = MT and TU is a
vertical pole.
U
25 m

10 m

T
M
DIAGRAM 10

Angles of Elevation and Depression

133

A wire is tied from the vertex U to the point S. Calculate the angle of elevation of vertex U
from the the point M

22 0 37

39 0 48

A
C

0
B 50 12

0
D 67 23

SPM 2004
3. In Diagram , MN and PQR are two vertical poles on a horizontal plane.
P
M

Q
N

The angle of elevation of point P from point M is

A MPQ
B PMQ

C PMR
D PNR

4. In Diagram, PQ and RS are two vertical poles on a horizontal plane.

R
P
Q

25 m
20 m

The angle of depression of peak P from peak R is 34 0 . Calculate the

height, in m, of the pole PQ.
A 4.65
B 8.42

C 11.51
D 13.82

SPM 2005 (July)

Angles of Elevation and Depression

134

5. Diagram 17 shows two flats adjacent to each other on a horizontal plane. Four friends

are seating at balconies P, Q, R and T respectively.

Which of the following is the angle of elevation of P from R?
A

PRQ

B PRT
N

80 m

60 m
K

DIAGRAM 8

RPQ

D RTP

6. In Diagram 8, J, K, L and M are four points on a horizontal ground. MN is a vertical pole

0
with the height of 20 m, JM = ML JKL= 90

P
JEBAT
BLOCK

T
Q

TUAH
BLOCK

DIAGRAM 17

Angles of Elevation and Depression

135

Calculate the angle of elevation of vertex N from the point L

A
C

66 0 25

33 0 41

0
B 26 34

0
D 21 48

SPM 2005
7. Diagram below shows two vertical poles, PS and QR, on a horizontal plane.
P
Q
25 m
S

10 m

The angle of depression of vertex Q from vertex P is 42 0 . Calculate the angle of elevation of
vertex Q from S.
A 32 0
B 41 0 59 '

C 57 0 59 '
D 68 0 11 '

SPM Year 2006 (July)

8. Diagram below shows the position of a rescuer and the position of an occupant who is trapped
on the 3rd floor of a tower.

Tower

Occupant
Rescuer

Angles of Elevation and Depression

12 m

136

Te angle of elevation of the occupant from the rescuer is 35. Calculate the distance, in m, of the
rescuer from the bottom of the tower.
A 14.85
B 17.14

C 18.13
D 20.92

SPM Year 2006 (November)

9. In Diagram below , PQ and TR are two vertical poles on a horizontal plane. S is a point on TR
such that PQ = SR .

T
P

The angle depression of P from T is

A TPS
B RPT

C PTS
D QTS

SPM Year 2006 (November)

10. In diagram, JK is a vertical flag pole. KL is horizontal.

35m

The angle of elevation of J from L is 420. The height, in m, of the flag pole is
A. 23.42
B. 26.01
Angles of Elevation and Depression

C. 31.51
D. 38.87

137

SPM Year 2007 (June)

11. Diagram 10 shows two towers on a horizontal plane.

60cm
Digram 10
P and Q are two points on the top of the towers as shown. R is a point vertically below Q.
The angle of elevation of Q from P is 55 and the angle of elevation of R from P is 40 .
Calculate the distance, in m,from Q to R,
A.

35.34

C.

29.50

B.

15.53

D.

10.58

SPM Year 2007 (November)

12 . In diagram 9, PQ and RS are two vertical poles on a horizontal plane. The height of RS is
twice the height of PQ. The angle of depression of P from vertex R is 53 0 .

20m

Diagram 9

Angles of Elevation and Depression

138

Calculate the height, in m, of RS.

A.

15.07

C.

30.14

B.

26.54

D.

53.08

SPM Year 2008 (June)

13 In Diagram 9 Q and S are two points on a horizontal plane . R is the top of a vertical
flagpole
SR

S
Diagram 9

The angle of elevation of R from Q is 52o. The distance between Q and S is 14 m.

Calculate the height, in m, of flagpole SR
A.

10.94

B.

11.03

C.

15.59

D.
17.92
SPM Year 2008 November (Q 15)
14. Diagram 8 shows two vertical flagpoles on a horizontal plane P,Q,R,S and T are five points
on the poles such that QR = ST

P
Q

T
Diagram 8

Angles of Elevation and Depression

139

Name the angle of elevation of point P from point S

A.

QSP

B.

QPS

C.

RSP

D.

RTP

SPM Year 2008 November (Q16)

15. Diagram 9 shows a tower PQ . The point P,R and S lie on a horizontal plane

12m

R
Diagram 9
S

5m
o

The angle of depression of R from Q is 45 . Find the angle of elevation of Q from S.

A.

22o 37

B.

35 o13

C.

54 o47

D.

67 o23

ANSWERS
Chapter 16: Angles of Elevation and Depression
16.1.1
a) i. Line of sight
ii Angle of elevation
iii.Horizontal line

b) i. Line of sight
ii Angle of elevation
iii.Horizontal line

c) i. Line of sight
ii Angle of elevation
iii.Horizontal line

b) Horizontal line
ii Angle of depression
iii.Line of sight

c) Horizontal line
ii Angle of depression
iii.Line of sight

16.1.2
a) i. Horizontal line
ii Angle of depression
iii.Line of sight
Angles of Elevation and Depression

140

16.2.1
(a) i. JK
ii. JK
iii. JM
16.2.2
(a)

(b) i. QS
ii. PS
iii. RS

(c) i. EG
ii. EF
iii. EH
(b)

52

38

18 m

(c)

32

1.57 m
10 m

10 m

(d)
49

36 0

38

1.55m

John

Hassan

11.5 m

Ganesh

16.2.3
(a)
(b)
(c)
(d)
(e)
(f)

8.59 0
8.88 m
14.9 m
(i) 7.43 m
(i) 8.530
(i) 49.52 m

(ii) 15.10
(ii) 4.94 m
(ii) 35.08 m

Questions According to Examination

Format

Past Year Questions

1. B
2. B
3. B

1. A
2. C
3. B
Angles of Elevation and Depression

141

4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.

D
C
C
B
A
C
D
B
C
C
B
B
B
D
C
D

4. C
5. A
6. D
7. C
8. B
9. A
10. C
11. A
12. D
13.D
14. A
15.C

20. A

Angles of Elevation and Depression

142