Trigonometry: 2D and 3D Problems Worksheet 2 Examples on Bearing Problems:

Points A, B, C and D lie on level ground. Point D is due north of C.

ACD = 140, ACB = 90 and ABC = 65

North
D C

Find the bearing of (a) (b) (c)

B from C, B from A, A from B. N B A

65

The figure shows the positions of A, B and C. Find the bearing of (a) (b) (c)
C from A, A from B, B from C.

45
A

95 30
C

The bearing of E from B is 250 and BY = BE. (a) (b) (c) (d) Find the bearing of B from E. Calculate angle BYE. Find the bearing of Y from B. If W is due south of B and due east of E, label W on the diagram.
E Y

North
B

In the diagram, ABC represents a horizontal triangular field. If B is due West of C, the bearing N of C from A is 138 and BAC = 110 , calculate (a) (b) (c) the bearing of A from B,
A

the bearing A from C,

138

ACB .
B 1

110
C

Examples on 3D Problems:

C North A

76 12 47 500 m
B

ABC is on level ground and CD is a building at C. ACB = 76 , BAC = 47 , AB = 500 m, and

the angle of elevation of the top of the building when viewed from A is 12. Find the (a) (b) (c) (d) 2 bearing of C from A ,given that B is due east of A length AC, the height of the building, the shortest distance from C to the path AB.

VPQRS is a pyramid with vertex V, standing on a rectangular base PQRS. O, which is the point of

intersection of the diagonals PR and QS, is vertically below V. PQ = 16 cm, QR = 12 cm and VO is 24 cm. (a) (b) Find the length of QS. Find the value of OVP.
V

S O P Q

Exercises:

Q1

The diagram shows three points on level ground. C is due east of A. The bearing of B from A is 1500. A is 12 km away from both B and C. (a) (b) Calculate the bearing of A from B. Find the distance between B and C.
North A C

Q2

In the figure given below on the left, A, B and C represent 3 islands. B is 6 km due north of C. A is 3 km from B on a bearing of 300. A ship leaves A and heads due east another island. Calculate the (a) (b) (c)
A

bearing of B from A, area of triangle ABC, shortest distance between island B and the ship as it sails due east.
North Z

3 km
B W

44

6 km 15 cm

Q3

The diagram above on the right shows a trapezium WXYZ .

WXY = XYZ = 90 , XY = 7 cm and WY = 15 cm. Calculate

(a) (b) (c) (d)

XW , WYX , WZ ,
(i) YWZ , (ii) area of triangle ZWY.

7 cm

(e)

If the bearing of W from Z is 230, calculate the bearing of Z from W. 3

Q4
T

30
P

N
Q

50 500 m

290 400 m
R

A lighthouse OT of height h m stands on a horizontal plane. O, P and Q are points on the plane. The lighthouse OT is due north of P. The angle of elevation of a man at P to the lighthouse is 30. He walks a distance of 500 metres to point Q. Given that the bearing of Q from P is 50 and the bearing of O from Q is 290, calculate

(i) (ii) (iii)

OQ and OP,

the height of the lighthouse OT, the angle of elevation of T from Q.

From Q, the man walks 400 metres to a point R on a bearing of a from Q on the horizontal plane. At R, the angle of elevation of the lighthouse is 20. Calculate

(iv) (v) Q5

OQR,
the value of a.

ABC are the vertices of a horizontal triangular field as shown and AP represents a vertical

flagpole. B is 85 m from A on a bearing 25 and C is 170 m from A. Length of BC is 180 m and the height of the flagpole is 12 m.

B P

A C

(a)

Calculate (i) (ii) (iii) (iv) the bearing of A from B,

ABC,

the angle of elevation of P from C, the area of ABC..

(b) (c)

If the cost of the plot of land is $40 per m2, find the cost of the land ABC. A man walks along BC. Calculate the shortest distance the man is from A as he walks along BC.

Q6

There are 3 towns. Town B is due east of A. Distance AB = 900 m, ABC = 37 BAC = 25 and
Y is the point on AB which is 100 m from A.

Calculate (a) (b) (c) (d) (e) the distance of AC, the distance of YC, the area covered by ABC, the bearing of C from A,
XY represents a vertical pole that is placed on AB. The angle of elevation of the top of the

pole from B is 15 Calculate the height of the pole XY. . Q7 The diagram below shows a vertical pole QT, which stands at one corner of a horizontal rectangular field PQRS. Given that PS = 22 m, PQ = 17 m and the angle of elevation of T from
P is 32, find
T

(a) (b)

the height of QT, the angle of elevation of T from S,

R 17 m

32
P 22 m S

Q8

In the diagram, A, B and C represent three islands. They provide a course for a boat race. AB = 850m, ABC = 42, BAC = 32 and N is the point on AB which is 200 m away from B.
H A N B

(a) (b)

Calculate the distance AC. Find the shortest distance that a boat from island C can take if it wants to join a boat in the lane AB.

(c)

A helicopter H, is hovering at a point vertically above N. The angle of elevation of the helicopter from A is 12. Calculate the height of the helicopter.

Q9

In the diagram not drawn to scale, O represents a lighthouse, and A, B, C and D are ships in the surrounding area, where A is 0.5 km from O, B is 5 km from O, C is 8 km from O and D is 6 km from O. The bearing of A from O is 027, the bearing of B from O is 103, D is due west of O and C is due South of D.
N A D O

(a) (b)

Calculate the distance between A and B The captain of the lighthouse is standing on top of the lighthouse, which is 20 m tall. Calculate the angle of depression, from where he is standing to Ship A.

(c) (d) (e)

Calculate the bearing of C from O. Given that the distance BC is 10 km, show that OCB = 29.7. A speedboat travels directly from Ship B to Ship C. Calculate the shortest distance between the speedboat and the lighthouse during its journey.

Q10

X, Y and Z are three points on level ground. Y is on a bearing of 075 and is 80 m from X. Z is

due south of Y and is 95 m from X. (a) Calculate (i) (ii) (b) the bearing of X from Y,
XZY .

A tree, T1, of height 15 m, is located 100 m due west of X. A man walks from the tree directly to Z. How far does he walk? The man continues to walk from Z towards Y until he reaches a point W where WT1 is a minimum. Find the distance of WT1.

(c)

(d)

A bird stops and rests at one-third the height of the tree, T2, that is located at the point W. Given that the heights of the two trees are the same, find the angle of elevation of the bird to the top of the tree T.
T

Q11
N

36 55
B

6.8 m

10.5 m

Three points A, B and C lying on horizontal ground are such that AB = 6.8 m and BC = 10.5 m. A vertical mast AT stands at A and the angle of elevation of T from B is 36. Given that B is due south of A and that the bearing of C from B is 055, find (a) (b) (c) (d) (e) (f) the length of AC,
ACB,

the height of mast AT, the angle of elevation of T from C, the bearing of C from A. A man walks from B along the path BC until he reaches a point X which is nearest to the vertical mast at A. Find AX. 7

Q12

Two towers AD and BC stand vertically on horizontal ground with C due east of D. Tower
BC is of height 40 m. An Enemy appears at E, where CE = 60 m , DC = 100 m , and

DCE = 70 .
Meanwhile, Sniper Alpha, stationed at A, spots the Enemy with an angle of depression of 30 , Sniper Bravo, stationed at B, also spots the enemy. (a) (b) (c) Calculate the angle of depression of the Enemy from Bravo. Find the height of tower AD. The Enemy starts to sprint along path ED. Find the shortest distance from C to ED.
A B

Q13

A, B, and C are points on the level ground such that C is due south of A and B is due east of A. S is a point on BC such that CS = 20 m. Q is the foot of perpendicular from A to BC. AC = 80 m

and AB = 65 m. A tower TA of height 20 m stands at A. Calculate (a) (b) (c) (d) the bearing of C from B, the distance AS, the area of ABS, the angle of elevation of T from Q.