PLANE TRIGONOMETRY

PLANE TRIGONOMETRY deals with triangles and interrelationships of the sides

and angles of triangles.
Applicable to Courses like: Advanced mathematics, mechanics, surveying, geodesy,
engineering, navigation.

LESSON 1.0

ANGLES AND MEASUREMENT

1.1 ANGLE (from geometry) is the amount of rotation formed by the intersection of
two lines or the meeting of two planes (Fig. 1).
A

Let:

Point O = be the vertex

= be the initial side

OA

= be the terminal side

OB
= be the angle rotated
from
initial to terminal side

B
Fig. 1
Sign of an Angle:
is positive if rotated counterclockwise (Fig. 2)
is negative if rotated clockwise (Fig. 2)

(a)

(b)
Fig. 2

Systems in Measuring Angles:

I. Sexagesimal System
II. Circular (or Natural) System
Definition:

(c)

I. Sexagesimal System uses the unit of degrees. Furthermore, the degree can be
divided into minutes and seconds.
where:
1 revolution = 360 degrees
or
(1 rev = 360)
1 degree = 60 minutes
or
(1 = 60')
1 minute = 60 seconds
or
(1' = 60")
Remarks:

In many applications of trigonometry, decimal parts of a degree are used

instead of minutes and seconds.

Example 1: a. 73.5 is used instead of 73 30'

b. 171.7525 is used instead of 171 45' 9"
II. Circular (or Natural) System uses the unit of radian, which is defined as the central
angle subtended by a circular arc whose length is
equal to the radius of the circle.
where:

1 revolution = 2

radians

Conversion values:

360 = 2

Simplifying;

180 =

or

(1 rev = 2

rad
rad

For conversion, multiply the given angle by

180
rad

or

rad
180

Example 2: Convert the angle from degrees to radians.

a.

135
135

b.

rad
( 180
)

rad or

3
4

rad
( 180
)

= 10.8227 rad

or

10.8227

91.4
91.4

d.

3
4

620 5' 51
620 5 ' 51

c.

rad
( 180
)

457
900

1.5952rad

900 deg

or 1.5952

rad)

( 180 raddeg )

900 deg

e.

= 5 rad or 5

376

rad
( 180
)

376

94
45

rad or

94
45

Example 3: Convert the angle from radians to degrees in four decimal places if
possible.

a.

b.

11
6
11

rad
rad

( 180
rad )

= 330

2 rad

( 180
rad )

2rad

114.5916

c. 9.3

( 180
)

9.3

d.

e.

= 532.8507

( 180
)

36

0.379
0.379

Remarks:

( 180
)

21.7151

Other systems are mil and grade systems.

MIL system = used in artillery and other military applications, employs a unit called the
mil.
where:

1 revolution = 6400 mils

Example 4: Two points, A and B, are 50 yards apart and 2000 yards away. How many
mils should they subtend? (Fig. 3)
3

B
50 yd
A

Observer

2000 yd

Fig. 3
Solution:
Let:

s = 50 yd, r = 2000 yd, = ?

r
Apply:
s =
1000
50 (1000)
=
= 25 mils
2000
Or at 2000 yd, 2 yd corresponds to 1 mil; therefore 50 yd corresponds to 25 mils.

Example 5: An observer measures the angular distance between two points, A and B,
5000 yards away, to be 30 mils. How far apart are A and B?
Solution:
Let:

r = 5000 yd, = 30 mils, s = ?

r
Apply:
s =
1000
s =

5000 (30)
1000

= 150 yd

Or at 5000 yd, 1 mil subtends 5 yd; therefore 30 mils subtends 150 yd.

Example 6: The angular distance between points A and B is observed to be 40 mils.

They are 100 yd apart. How far away are they?
Solution:
Let:

s = 100 yd, = 40 mils, r = ?

r
Apply:
s =
1000
r =

100 (1000)
40

= 2500 yd

Or 40 mils corresponds to 100 yd; therefore 1 mil corresponds to 2.5 yd, but 2.5 yd is
1
of 2500 yd.
1000
4

GRADE system = used in some countries where the metric system of units has been
adopted, employs a unit called the grade.
where:

1 revolution = 400 grades

1.2 LENGTH OF CIRCULAR ARC (Fig. 3)

Let:

s = be the length of the circular arc intercepted by

r = be the radius of the circle

= be the central angle (expressed in radians)

Formula: s = r
r

Fig. 3
Example 7: Determine the indicated part. Approximate the answer.
a.

Given:

s = 7 cm
r = 3.5 cm

Find:

(in degrees)

Solution:
Apply

s=r

Simplifying, =

s
r

7 cm
3.5 cm

rad
Convert to degrees:

= 2 rad

( 180
)

= 114.59

or 115

=2

b.

Given:

s = 10 units
= 35.81

Find:

Solution:
Apply

s=r

Simplifying,

Therefore,

c.

Given:

10 units

35.81
180

r = 16 units

= 4 rad
r = 2 cm
s

Find:
Solution:
Apply

s=r

Simplifying, s = 2 cm (4 rad)
Therefore, s = 8 cm
Example 8: The hour hand of a clock is 12 inches long. In a 50-minute class period,
a. through what angle (in degrees and radians) does the hand move?
b. how far does its tip move?
Solution:
a. Recall:

1 rotation = 60 minutes = 360

for minute hand movement

for hour hand movement

or

1 minute = 6

Also,

1 rotation = 12 hours = 360

or

1 hour = 30

Since the hour hand moves in 50 minutes (min), it moves through an angle .
6

To find :

=50 min

and

=25

( 601 hrmin )( 301 hr )

rad
( 180
)

5
36

= 25

= rad or 0.4363 rad

b. The tip of the hour hand moves over a distance, s

5
5
s=r =12inches
and
=
or 5.236 inches
36
3

( )

Example 9: A highway curve is to be laid out on a circle. What should be the radius of
the curve if there is a change of direction of 20 in a distance of 180
meters?
Solution:

Let

r=

be the radius of the circle (or highway curve)

rad
9
s = 180 meters
=20 =

Apply:

s=r

Thus,

r=

180

1620

or 515.6620 meters

Example 10: How many revolutions will the wheels of a car of radius 1.5 feet make as
the car travels a distance of one mile?
Solution:

Let

r=

1.5 ft

s = 1 mi
Apply:
Thus,

s=r
=

s
r

1mi
1mi
1.5 ft
5280 ft

= 3520 rad

( 21rev
rad )

Therefore, the wheels of a car make 560.2254 revolutions.

1.3 AREA OF CIRCULAR SECTOR (Fig. 4)
Let:

s = be the length of the circular arc intercepted by

r = be the radius of the circle

= be the central angle (expressed in radians)

A = be the area of the circular sector

7

= 560.2254 rev

Formula:
1
1
A rs
A r 2
2
2
or

Fig. 4

radians and the

4
area of the sector is 25 square centimeter. Find the arc length of the
sector.

=
, A = 25 cm2
4
s = be the arc length
1
A r 2
2
Solving for s:

Example 11: The central angle of a sector in a given circle is

Let:

Apply

25

1 2
r
2 4

Apply s = r

200
r2 =

s = 7.9788

r = 7.9788 cm

s = 6.2666 cm

( 4 )

Therefore, the arc length is 6.2666 cm.

Example 12: AB and CD are arcs of concentric circles at center O as shown. The
perimeter of ABCD is 11 inches. Determine the central angle and area of
ABCD.
C
Let: P = be the perimeter of ABCD
A = be the area of ABCD
A
= be the central angle

Then, P = arcAB + arcCD + 6 = 11

Apply s = r
where: s AB = 1() =

and

s CD

= 4() = 4

Substitute to the equation of P:

+ 4 + 6 = 11
= 1 rad
A ABCD
= A COD - A AOB
1 2
4 1 1 1 2 1
= 2
- 2
= 7.5 in2
Therefore, the central angle is 1 radian and area of ABCD is 7.5 square inches.

1.4 LINEAR SPEED AND ANGULAR SPEED (Fig. 5)

If a wheel of radius r , rolls a distance s , any point on the circumference of this
wheel rotates through an angle , which is measured by a length s.
Thus, s = r

is applicable.

Fig. 5
If this movement is accomplished with time, then the equation becomes

()
is

( st )

= r

r was derived for

Hence,

rad
unit of time

= linear speed =

where:

s
t

= angular speed =
t

r = radius of the wheel

Example 13: A wheel is rotating at the rate of 45 revolution per minute (rev/min or rpm).
Express this angular speed, , in:
a.
b.
c.

revolutions per second

degrees per second
radians per second

Solution:
Let

=45

rev
min

a.

=45

b.

=45

c.

=45

rev
min
rev
min
rev
min

( 601 minsec ) = 34 or 0.75 rev

sec
deg
= 270
( 601 minsec )( 360
)
1 rev
sec
rad
( 601 minsec )( 21rev
) = 32 or 4.71
9

rad
sec

Example 14: A train is moving at the rate of 10 miles per hour (mi/hr) in a circular track
of radius 30,000 inches. Through what angle does it turn in 2 minutes?
Solution:
Let

=10 mph ;
r = 30,000 in ;

t = 2 min

=?

r
t
r or

Apply:

Simplifying,

for

t
r

mi 1hr
10
2min
hr 60min

1ft 1mi
30,000in

12in 5280ft

88mi
= 125mi or 0.704 rad

Therefore, the train turns 0.704 radians in 2 minutes.

Example 15: A pulley 26 inches in diameter is driven at 360 revolution per minute (rpm)
by a belt. How fast in feet per second is the belt moving?
Solution:
Let
Apply:

26
13in
2
;

= 360 rpm

10

rev 2 1min
ft
1ft
13in 12in 360 min 1rev 60 sec 13 40.841 sec

ft
Therefore, the belt moves at 40.841
.
sec
Example 16: An 8-inch diameter pulley drives a 6-inch diameter pulley. The larger
pulley makes 15 revolutions per second (rev/sec). What is the angular
velocity of the smaller pulley in rev/sec?
Solution:
Let

rL = radius of larger pulley = 4 in

rS = radius of smaller pulley = 3 in
L = angular velocity of larger pulley = 15 rev/sec

S
Apply:

= angular velocity of smaller pulley

Assuming that the belt connecting the two pulleys does not slip, the linear velocities
of a point on either circumference are the same.
Thus, rS
(3 in)(

S
S

= rL L

15

) = (4 in)

4( 15)
3

The angular velocity of smaller pulley is 20

11

rev

sec

= 20

rev
sec
rev
sec

1.5 AREA OF A TRIANGLE

The area of a triangle can be determined given the following parts.
i. Given the base b , and height h, of a triangle (Fig. 6)

Fig. 6
1
2

A=

Formula:

bh

ii. Given two sides, say a and b , and included angle C (Fig. 7)

Formula:

A=

1
2

absinC

a
C

b
Fig. 7

iii. Given three sides

a, b, c (Fig. 8)

Herons Formula:

where:

A= ( sa ) ( sb )( sc )

s=

semi-perimeter

a+b+ c
2

a
Fig. 8

iv. Given two angles, say A and B, and one side c (Fig. 9)
2

Formula:

A=

c sin A sin B
2 sinC

12

c
Fig. 9

Example 17:

The triangle ABC has angles A = 92

15

, B = 61, and side b =

. Find its area.

Solution:
Solve for the third angle:

C = 180 - (A + B) = 180 - (92 + 61) = 27

Apply:

A=

b sin A sin C
2 sin B

15 sin 92 sin 27
2sin 61

= 58.36 sq. units

Therefore, the area of the triangle ABC is 58.36 square units.

Example 18:

Solution:

A triangular floor with sides of lengths 5.78 meters, 3.81 meters, and
4.63 meters is going to be carpeted which costs P950 per square meter.
How much will the carpet cost?
Let

a = 5.78 m

b = 3.81 m
c = 4.63 m
Apply:

Solve for:

Herons formula,

s=

A= ( sa ) ( sb )( sc )

5.78+ 3.81+ 4.63

2

= 7.11 meters

A= 7.11 ( 7.115.78 ) (7.113.81 ) ( 7.114.63 )

8.7972 sq . m.

Carpet Cost = 8.7972 (P950) = P8,357.34

Example 19:

Determine the height from A to side BC, if a = 31 feet, b = 23 feet, and c

= 14 feet.

Solution:
13

23

Apply:
Solve for:

A= ( sa ) ( sb )( sc )
s=

14

31

14 +23+31
2

= 34 feet

A= 34 ( 3414 ) (3423 )( 3431 )

149.80 sq . ft .

To solve for the height:

Apply

A=

1
2

bh

1
(31)h
2
h = 9.66 feet

149.80 =

Therefore, the height is 9.66 feet.

14