Solving Triangles - Real World Problems
In this lesson we begin applying our understanding of the primary trigonometric ratios to real world problems. Thus far, we have been using the ratios to solve problems that pretty much occur only in the "math world." Personally, I find applying math to problems that arise in the real world is the most exciting part! During my own personal math journey I have found that as soon as you apply math to the real world it doesn't only give you answers to interesting questions but also gives you the tools to as questions that are even more interesting.
For a number of these questions we used two new definitions:
Angle of Elevation or Inclination: the angle between the horizontal and the line of sight from an observer's eye to some object above eye level.
Angle of Depression: The angle between the horizontal and the line of sight from an observer's eye to a point below eye level.
When trying to apply our primary trig. ratios to real world problems there is a series of steps to follow as a means to organize the process:
- Draw a diagram to represent the situation
- Fill in all known information
- Identify what needs to be calculated, side or angle
- Solve for the unknown measure using a trig ratio
- Write a concluding statement.
Following these steps will surely help make the real world, word problems much easier. Also, I have found that part of real world problems is that they result in a struggle. This struggle is not a bad thing. It is a natural part of working through math... allowing yourself to struggle yet not get disheartened will help you develop you skills in math.
The following link is for the video lesson:
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