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

\[ x = \frac{10}{\tan(51^\circ)} = 8.1 \; \text{ (2 significant digits)} \] \[ H = \frac{10}{\sin(51^\circ)} = 13 \; \text{ (2 significant digits) } \]
Find the lengths of all sides of the right triangle below if its area is 400.

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 \( H \). \[ H = x \sqrt{5} = 20 \sqrt{5} \]
\( BH \) is perpendicular to \( AC \). Find \( x \) the length of \( BC \).

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 \( x \). \[ x = \sqrt{11^2 + \left(19 - \frac{11}{\tan(39^\circ)}\right)^2} \] \[ x \approx 12.3 \quad \text{(rounded to 3 significant digits)} \]
ABC is a right triangle with a right angle at \( A \). Find \( x \), the length of \( DC \).

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: \[ AD = \sqrt{14^2-10^2} , \quad AC = \sqrt{16^2 - 10^2} \] \[ \text{Also, } x = AC - AD \] \[ x = \sqrt{16^2 - 10^2} - \sqrt{14^2 - 10^2} \] \[ x \approx 2.69 \quad \text{(rounded to 3 significant digits)} \]
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 \( BD \).

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: \[ BD = \sqrt{9^2 + \left( \frac{6}{\tan(31^\circ)} \right)^2} \] \[ BD \approx 13.4 \quad \text{(rounded to 3 significant digits)} \]
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.
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: \[ \quad x^2 + x^2 = H^2 \] \[ \Rightarrow \quad H = 10\sqrt{2} \]
In a right triangle \( \triangle ABC \), \( \tan(A) = \frac{3}{4} \). Find \( \sin(A) \) and \( \cos(A) \).
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: \[ \quad h^2 = (3k)^2 + (4k)^2 \] \[ h^2 = 9k^2 + 16k^2 = 25k^2 \quad \Rightarrow \quad h = 5k \] \[ \sin(A) = \frac{a}{h} = \frac{3k}{5k} = \frac{3}{5}, \quad \cos(A) = \frac{b}{h} = \frac{4k}{5k} = \frac{4}{5} \]
In a right triangle \( \triangle ABC \) with angle \( A = 90^\circ \), find angles \( B \) and \( C \) such that \( \sin(B) = \cos(B) \).
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 \( 45^\circ\).
A rectangle has dimensions 10 cm by 5 cm. Determine the measures of the angles at the point where the diagonals intersect.
The diagram below shows a rectangle with diagonals and half of one of the angles labeled \( x \).

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.
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: \[ x = 14.0 \quad \text{(rounded to one decimal place)} \]
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.

\[ \tan(20^\circ) = \frac{200}{L} \] \[ L = \frac{200}{\tan(20^\circ)} \] \[ \tan(10^\circ) = \frac{H_2}{L} \] \[ H_2 = L \cdot \tan(10^\circ) \] \[ = \frac{200 \cdot \tan(10^\circ)}{\tan(20^\circ)} \] \[ \text{Height of second building} = 200 + H_2 = = 200 + \frac{200 \cdot \tan(10^\circ)}{\tan(20^\circ)} \approx 297 \text{ meters} \]
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?
Let \( h \) be the initial height of the balloon above point \( P \). After rising, the new height is \( h + 50 \) meters.

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