Section 1.

5: Solving Right Triangles

To solve right triangles, we need to find:

- The measure of each angle in the triangle given

- The length of each side of the triangle.

Solving a Right Triangle Given an Acute Angle Measure and a Side Length

Example 1: Solve the right triangle - find a, c, and
.

Solving a Right Triangle Given the Lengths of Two Sides

Example 2: Suppose we know the lengths of two of the

sides, but we dont know either of the angle measures
of interest.


=
Example 3: Solving a Right Triangle Given Two Sides

Solve the right triangle find ,
, and .

Applications

There are two different types of application problems in this section. Both
types ask you to solve for a missing side or a missing angle of a triangle,
but the difference is in perspective.

Example 4: Angle of Elevation

A circus spectator is sitting in the bleachers so that her line of sight is at the
safety net, which is 10 feet above the ground. The trapeze platform is 80
feet away from her and rises 40 feet above the ground (30 feet above the
net). Find the angle her eyes make while watching the performers launch
off the trapeze platform.
Example 5: Bearing (Navigation)

A jet takes off bearing N32W and flies 6 miles, and then makes a right turn
(90) and flies 20 miles farther. If the control tower operator wanted to
locate the plane, what bearing would he use? Round to the nearest degree.

Chapter 2 Trigonometric Functions

Section 2.1: Angles in the Cartesian Plane

Angles in Standard Position

Previously when we were talking about angles, they were either part of a
triangle or early in Chapter 1, they were just floating there in space. In this
section, we introduce a frame of reference the Cartesian Plane.
Heads up: A rotation in a counterclockwise direction corresponds to a
positive angle, a rotation in a clockwise direction corresponds to a negative
angle.

Example 1: Sketching Angles in Standard Position

Sketch the following angles in standard position, and state the quadrant in
which (or axis on which) the terminal side lies.

a. 300 b. 135

Common Angles in Standard Position

Remember our friends the special triangles? Lets suppose for each of these
triangles, the hypotenuse is of length 1. Then well have:
If we position these triangles on the Cartesian plane, we will have the
following graphs:

Then if we graph the three angles 30, 45, and 60 in the same Cartesian
coordinate system, we get the following graph.
Using symmetry about the axes and the angles and coordinates in quadrant
I, we get the famous Unit Circle:

Coterminal Angles

What are coterminal angles? They are two angles in standard position with
the same terminal side.

Wee little example: Graph the angles 40 and 320. Are they coterminal
angles?
Example 2: Finding Measures of Coterminal Angles

Determine the smallest nonnegative angle that is coterminal with each of

the following angles.

a. 2000 b. 830 c. 360, where  is an integer