SOLVING WORD PROBLEM INVOLVING

RIGHT TRIANGLE

ROGELIO L. SANTOS
DALANDANAN NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL
 PUZZLE
1. Select any number and write it on your paper.
2. Add nine to your number.
3. Double your new number.
4. Subtract 12.
5. Divide by 2.
6. Subtract the number you originally selected.

• REGARDLESS OF WHAT NUMBER IS USED IN THE BEGINNING, THE ANSWERS

WILL ALWAYS BE 3!
• ASK THE STUDENTS WHY THIS IS SO. LET THEM TRY ANOTHER NUMBER.
• SUPPLY THE ALGEBRAIC PROOF.
 STEPS IN SOLVING TRIG PROBLEMS

1. Draw a picture. (Right triangle)

2. Label the given parts.

3. Set up the trig ratio and solve.

 EXAMPLE 1
A ladder, 500 m long, leans against a building. If the angle
between the ground and the ladder is 570, how far from the
wall is the bottom of the ladder?
ladder
SOLUTION SOH
𝒙
building
cos 570 = CAH
𝟓𝟎𝟎

x = 500 cos 570 TOA

570
x = 500 (0.54…) x
Adjacent (A)
x = 272.32 m touched
 EXAMPLE 2
A kite is flying 115 ft above the ground. The length of the
string to the kite is 150 ft, measured from the ground. Find
the angle, that the string makes with the ground.
SOLUTION kite

𝟏𝟏𝟓
SOH Hypotenuse (H)
sin  = string untouched
𝟏𝟓𝟎 CAH
150 ft Opposite (O)
𝟏𝟏𝟓 115 ft
= sin-1 TOA
𝟏𝟓𝟎 
ground
= 50.060
 EXAMPLE 3
An observer is 120 feet from the base of a television tower,
which is 150 feet tall. Find, the angle of elevation of the top
of the tower from the point where the observer is standing.
tower
SOLUTION
SOH untouched
𝟏𝟓𝟎
tan  = CAH
Opposite (O)
𝟏𝟐𝟎
150 ft
𝟏𝟓𝟎 TOA 
 = tan -1
observer
𝟏𝟐𝟎
120 ft
touched
 = 51.34 0
Adjacent (A)
 EXAMPLE 4
The angle of elevation of the top of a flagpole from a point
on the ground 30 meters from the base of the flagpole is 18
degrees. What is the height of the flagpole? flagpole
SOLUTION SOH
untouched
𝒙
tan 0
18 = CAH Opposite (O)
𝟑𝟎
x
x = 30 tan 180 TOA
point 180
x = 30 (0.32…) 30 m
Adjacent (A)
x = 9.75 m touched
 EXAMPLE 5
Suppose the angle of depression from a lighthouse to a
sailboat is 57o. If the lighthouse is 150 ft tall, how far away is
the sailboat? lighthouse
SOLUTION SOH 570
untouched
𝟏𝟓𝟎
tan 0
57 = CAH Opposite (O)
𝒙
TOA 150 ft
𝟏𝟓𝟎
sailboat 570
x=
𝒕𝒂𝒏 𝟒𝟕0 x
Adjacent (A)
x = 139.88 ft touched