4-1 Right Triangle Trigonometry

40. OBSERVATION WHEEL  The London Eye is a 135-meter-tall observation wheel. If a passenger at the top of

the wheel sights the London Aquarium at a 58º angle of depression, what is the distance between the aquarium and
the London Eye?

SOLUTION:  
The angle of depression from the top of the wheel to the aquarium is 58º, which means that the angle of elevation
from the aquarium to the top of the wheel is also 58º because they are alternate interior angles. Draw a diagram of a
right triangle and label one acute angle 58º and the opposite side 135 m.
 

 
Because an acute angle and the side length opposite the angle are given, the tangent function can be used to find x.

Therefore, the distance between the aquarium and the London Eye is about 84 meters.

ANSWER:  
84 m

41. ROLLER COASTER  On a roller coaster, 375 feet of track ascend at a 55º angle of elevation to the top before

the first and highest drop.
a. Draw a diagram to represent the situation.
b. Determine the height of the roller coaster.
SOLUTION:  
a. Draw a diagram of a right triangle. Since the track is ascending at a 55º,  the track is represented by the
hypotenuse. Label the hypotenuse 375. Then label the acute angle 55º .

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 Therefore, the distance between the aquarium and the London Eye is about 84 meters.

4-1 ANSWER:  
Right Triangle Trigonometry
84 m

41. ROLLER COASTER  On a roller coaster, 375 feet of track ascend at a 55º angle of elevation to the top before

the first and highest drop.
a. Draw a diagram to represent the situation.
b. Determine the height of the roller coaster.
SOLUTION:  
a. Draw a diagram of a right triangle. Since the track is ascending at a 55º,  the track is represented by the
hypotenuse. Label the hypotenuse 375. Then label the acute angle 55º .

 
b. Because an acute angle and the length of the hypotenuse are given, you can use the sine function to find the
length of the opposite side.

 
Therefore, the height of the roller coaster is about 307 feet.

ANSWER:  
a.

b. 307 ft

Without using a calculator, find the measure of the acute angle θ  in a right triangle that satisfies each
equation.
63. tan θ = 1
SOLUTION:  
Because tan θ = 1 and tan θ  =  , it follows that  = 1. In the  triangle below, the side length

opposite an acute angle is 1 and the adjacent side length is also 1. So,  = 1.

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4-1 Right Triangle Trigonometry
b. 307 ft

Without using a calculator, find the measure of the acute angle θ  in a right triangle that satisfies each
equation.
63. tan θ = 1
SOLUTION:  
Because tan θ = 1 and tan θ  =  , it follows that  = 1. In the  triangle below, the side length

opposite an acute angle is 1 and the adjacent side length is also 1. So,  = 1.

 
Therefore, θ = 45°.

ANSWER:  
45°

64. cos θ  = 

SOLUTION:  

Because cos θ  =   and cos θ  =  , it follows that  =  . In the triangle below, the side

length adjacent to the 30º angle is and the hypotenuse is 2. So,  =  .

Therefore, θ = 30°.

ANSWER:  
30°

65. cot θ =

SOLUTION:  

Because cot θ =  and cot θ  =   , it follows that  =  . In the triangle below, the side

length that is adjacent to the 60º angle is 1 and the length of the opposite side is . So,  =   =   .
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 Therefore, θ = 30°.

4-1 ANSWER:  
Right Triangle Trigonometry
30°

65. cot θ =

SOLUTION:  

Because cot θ =  and cot θ  =   , it follows that  =  . In the triangle below, the side

length that is adjacent to the 60º angle is 1 and the length of the opposite side is . So,  =   =   .

 
Therefore, θ = 60°.

ANSWER:  
60°

66. sin θ  = 

SOLUTION:  

Because sin θ  =   and sin θ  =  , it follows that  =  . In the triangle below, the side

length opposite an acute angle is 1 and the hypotenuse is . So,    =   =  .

 
Therefore, θ  = 45°.

ANSWER:  
45°

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