Grade 10 Trigonometry Word Problems with Step-by-Step Solutions

Practice challenging Grade 10 trigonometry problems and questions with answers and step-by-step solutions. These word problems cover angles, triangles, heights, and distances to help students strengthen their understanding of trigonometry.

Problem 1

Find \( x \) and \( H \) in the right triangle below.

problem 1

Solution:

\[ x = \frac{10}{\tan(51^\circ)} = 8.1 \; \text{ (2 significant digits)} \] \[ H = \frac{10}{\sin(51^\circ)} = 13 \; \text{ (2 significant digits) } \]

Problem 2

Find the lengths of all sides of the right triangle below if its area is 400.

problem 2

Solution:

Area is given by: \[ \frac{1}{2}(2x)(x) = 400 \] Solve for x: \[ x = 20, \quad 2x = 40 \] Use Pythagoras' theorem: \[ (2x)^2 + (x)^2 = H^2 \] Solve for \( H \). \[ H = x \sqrt{5} = 20 \sqrt{5} \]

Problem 3

\( BH \) is perpendicular to \( AC \). Find \( x \) the length of \( BC \).

problem 3

Solution:

BH perpendicular to AC means that triangles \( \triangle ABH \) and \( \triangle HBC \) are right triangles. Hence: \[ \tan(39^\circ) = \frac{11}{AH} \quad \Rightarrow \quad AH = \frac{11}{\tan(39^\circ)} \] \[ HC = 19 - AH = 19 - \frac{11}{\tan(39^\circ)} \] Apply the Pythagorean theorem to triangle \( \triangle HBC \): \[ \quad 11^2 + HC^2 = x^2 \] Substitute HC and solve for \( x \). \[ x = \sqrt{11^2 + \left(19 - \frac{11}{\tan(39^\circ)}\right)^2} \] \[ x \approx 12.3 \quad \text{(rounded to 3 significant digits)} \]

Problem 4

ABC is a right triangle with a right angle at \( A \). Find \( x \), the length of \( DC \).

problem 4

Solution:

Since \( \angle A \) is right, both triangles \( \triangle ABC \) and \( \triangle ABD \) are right, and therefore we can apply the Pythagorean theorem. \[ 14^2 = 10^2 + AD^2, \quad 16^2 = 10^2 + AC^2 \] Solve for AD and AC: \[ AD = \sqrt{14^2-10^2} , \quad AC = \sqrt{16^2 - 10^2} \] \[ \text{Also, } x = AC - AD \] \[ x = \sqrt{16^2 - 10^2} - \sqrt{14^2 - 10^2} \] \[ x \approx 2.69 \quad \text{(rounded to 3 significant digits)} \]

Problem 5

In the figure below, \( AB \) and \( CD \) are perpendicular to \( BC \), and the size of angle \( \angle ACB \) is \( 31^\circ \). Find the length of segment \( BD \).

problem 5

Solution:

Use right triangle \(\triangle ABC\) to write: \[ \tan(31^\circ) = \frac{6}{BC} \quad \Rightarrow \quad BC = \frac{6}{\tan(31^\circ)} \] Use the Pythagorean theorem in the right triangle \triangle BCD to write: \[ 9^2 + BC^2 = BD^2 \] \text{Solve for } BD \text{ and substitute } BC: \[ BD = \sqrt{9^2 + \left( \frac{6}{\tan(31^\circ)} \right)^2} \] \[ BD \approx 13.4 \quad \text{(rounded to 3 significant digits)} \]

Problem 6

The area of a right triangle is 50. One of its angles is \( 45^\circ \). Find the lengths of the sides and hypotenuse of the triangle.

Solution:

The triangle is right and one of its angles is \( 45^\circ \). The third angle is also \( 45^\circ \), and therefore the triangle is right and isosceles.

Let \( x \) be the length of one of the legs, and \( H \) be the hypotenuse. \[ \text{Area} = \frac{1}{2}x^2 = 50 \quad \Rightarrow \quad x = 10 \] Use the Pythagorean theorem: \[ \quad x^2 + x^2 = H^2 \] \[ \Rightarrow \quad H = 10\sqrt{2} \]

Problem 7

In a right triangle \( \triangle ABC \), \( \tan(A) = \frac{3}{4} \). Find \( \sin(A) \) and \( \cos(A) \).

Solution:

Let \( a \) be the length of the side opposite angle \( A \), \( b \) the length of the side adjacent to angle \( A \) and \( h \) the length of the hypotenuse. \[ \tan(A) = \frac{\text{opposite side}}{\text{adjacent side}} = \frac{a}{b} = \frac{3}{4} \] We can write that: \( a = 3k \) and \( b = 4k \) , where \( k \) is a coefficient of proportionality. Let us find \( h \). Using the Pythagorean theorem, we write: \[ \quad h^2 = (3k)^2 + (4k)^2 \] \[ h^2 = 9k^2 + 16k^2 = 25k^2 \quad \Rightarrow \quad h = 5k \] \[ \sin(A) = \frac{a}{h} = \frac{3k}{5k} = \frac{3}{5}, \quad \cos(A) = \frac{b}{h} = \frac{4k}{5k} = \frac{4}{5} \]

Problem 8

In a right triangle \( \triangle ABC \) with angle \( A = 90^\circ \), find angles \( B \) and \( C \) such that \( \sin(B) = \cos(B) \).

Solution:

Let \( b \) be the length of the side opposite angle \( B \). \( c \) the length of the side opposite angle \( C \), and \( h \) the hypotenuse. \[ \sin(B) = \frac{b}{h}, \quad \cos(B) = \frac{c}{h} \] \[ \sin(B) = \cos(B) \quad \Rightarrow \quad \frac{b}{h} = \frac{c}{h} \quad \Rightarrow \quad b = c \] Since the two sides are equal in length, the triangle is isosceles, and angles \( B \) and \( C \) are equal, each measuring \( 45^\circ\).

Problem 9

A rectangle has dimensions 10 cm by 5 cm. Determine the measures of the angles at the point where the diagonals intersect.

Solution:

The diagram below shows a rectangle with diagonals and half of one of the angles labeled \( x \).

solution problem diagonals of rectangle

\[ \tan(x) = \frac{5}{2.5} = 2 \quad \Rightarrow \quad x = \arctan(2) \] Larger angle made by diagonals is \( 2x \): \[ 2x = 2 \arctan(2) \approx 127^\circ \quad \text{(3 significant digits)} \] \[ \text{Smaller angle made by diagonals: } 180^\circ - 2x \approx 53^\circ \]

Problem 10

The lengths of side AB and side BC of a scalene triangle ABC are 12 cm and 8 cm respectively. The size of angle C is \( 59^\circ \). Find the length of side AC.

Solution:

Let \( x \) be the length of side AC. Use the cosine law \[ 12^2 = 8^2 + x^2 - 2 \cdot 8 \cdot x \cdot \cos(59^\circ) \] Solve the quadratic equation for \( x \): \[ x = 14.0 \quad \text{and} \quad x = -5.7 \] Since \( x \) cannot be negative, the solution is: \[ x = 14.0 \quad \text{(rounded to one decimal place)} \]

Problem 11

From the top of a 200 meters high building, the angle of depression to the bottom of a second building is 20 degrees. From the same point, the angle of elevation to the top of the second building is 10 degrees. Calculate the height of the second building.

solution problem of the two buildings

Solution:

\[ \tan(20^\circ) = \frac{200}{L} \] \[ L = \frac{200}{\tan(20^\circ)} \] \[ \tan(10^\circ) = \frac{H_2}{L} \] \[ H_2 = L \cdot \tan(10^\circ) \] \[ = \frac{200 \cdot \tan(10^\circ)}{\tan(20^\circ)} \] \[ \text{Height of second building} = 200 + H_2 = = 200 + \frac{200 \cdot \tan(10^\circ)}{\tan(20^\circ)} \approx 297 \text{ meters} \]

Problem 12

Karla is riding vertically in a hot air balloon, directly over a point P on the ground. Karla spots a parked car on the ground at an angle of depression of \( 30^\circ \). The balloon rises 50 meters. Now the angle of depression to the car is \( 35^\circ \). How far is the car from point P?

Solution:

Let \( h \) be the initial height of the balloon above point \( P \). After rising, the new height is \( h + 50 \) meters. Angle of depressions and hot air balloon problem

The horizontal distance from the car to \( P \) is \( d \) (which remains constant).
The angle of depression from the balloon to the car is equal to the angle of elevation from the car to the balloon (by alternate interior angles).
So, for the initial position: \[ \tan(30^\circ) = \frac{h}{d} \] \[ \frac{1}{\sqrt{3}} = \frac{h}{d} \quad \text{(since } \tan 30^\circ = \frac{1}{\sqrt{3}} \text{)} \] Thus, \[ h = \frac{d}{\sqrt{3}} \tag{1} \] After rising 50 meters, the new height is \( h + 50 \), and the angle of depression is \( 35^\circ \): \[ \tan(35^\circ) = \frac{h + 50}{d} \] So, \[ h + 50 = d \cdot \tan(35^\circ) \tag{2} \] Now substitute equation (1) into equation (2): \[ \frac{d}{\sqrt{3}} + 50 = d \cdot \tan(35^\circ) \] Rearrange to solve for \( d \): \[ 50 = d \cdot \tan(35^\circ) - \frac{d}{\sqrt{3}} \] \[ 50 = d \left( \tan(35^\circ) - \frac{1}{\sqrt{3}} \right) \] \[ d = \frac{50}{\tan(35^\circ) - \frac{1}{\sqrt{3}}} \] Use the numerical values: \( \tan(35^\circ) \approx 0.7002 \) and \( \frac{1}{\sqrt{3}} \approx 0.57735 \) to obtain: \[ d = \frac{50}{0.7002 - 0.57735} = \frac{50}{0.12285} \approx 406.97 \] Therefore, the car is approximately \( 407 \) meters from point \( P \).

Problem 13

If the shadow of a building increases by 10 meters when the angle of elevation of the sun rays decreases from \( 70^\circ \) to \( 60^\circ \), what is the height of the building?

Solution:

Let \(h\) be the height of the building. Initially, when the angle of elevation is \(70^\circ\), the length of the shadow is \(s\). Angle of elevation and building problem


When the angle of elevation decreases to \(60^\circ\), the shadow length becomes \(s + 10\).
For the initial case (angle \(70^\circ\)): \[ \tan(70^\circ) = \frac{h}{s} \] So, \[ s = \frac{h}{\tan(70^\circ)} \tag{1} \] For the new case (angle \(60^\circ\)): \[ \tan(60^\circ) = \frac{h}{s + 10} \] So, \[ s + 10 = \frac{h}{\tan(60^\circ)} \tag{2} \] Now, subtract equation (1) from equation (2): \[ (s + 10) - s = \frac{h}{\tan(60^\circ)} - \frac{h}{\tan(70^\circ)} \] \[ 10 = h \left( \frac{1}{\tan(60^\circ)} - \frac{1}{\tan(70^\circ)} \right) \] So, \[ h = \frac{10}{ \frac{1}{\tan(60^\circ)} - \frac{1}{\tan(70^\circ)} } \] Simplify the expression: \[ h = \frac{10}{ \cot(60^\circ) - \cot(70^\circ) } \] Evaluate numerically: \[ h = \approx 46.86474 \] Therefore, the height of the building is approximately \(46.9\) meters.

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