Trig Word Problems

Angle of Elevation

Angle of Depression

Some Vocabulary

The angle of depression of a buoy from the top of a lighthouse 130 feet above the surface of the water is 6°. Find the distance x from the base of the lighthouse to the buoy.

tan Θ = tan 6° =

130 x

x = ≈ 1,236.9130

tan 6°

To the nearest foot, the buoy is 1,237 feet from the base of the lighthouse

1306°

Θx

From the top of the 100-ft-tall building a man observes a car moving toward the building. If the angle of depression of the car changes from 22° to 46° during the period of observation, how far does the car travel?

The car travels about 151 feet.

46°22°

22°

46°

100’

x d