SL 3.3—Applications of trigonometry

Translate a written context into a trigonometric diagram.

Draw a labelled triangle, mark the reference direction and identify elevation, depression or bearing before calculating.

Worked example

A bearing of 060° is clockwise from north; a 20 m line at 30° elevation gives height 10 m.

The diagram fixes which angle and side the calculator should use.

Bearings are not measured from the positive x-axis unless converted.