PYQs Some Applications of Trigonometry

1. The length of the shadow of a tower from a point on the plane ground is √3 times the height of the tower. Find the
angle of elevation of the sun. {CBSE 2023}

2. The horizontal distance between two poles is 15 m. The angle of depression of the top of the first pole as seen from
the top of the second pole is 30°. If the height of the second pole is 24 m, find the height of the first pole. (Use √3 =
1.732) {CBSE 2013}

3. The angle of elevation of the top of a building from the foot of a tower is 30° and the angle of elevation of the top of
the tower from the foot of the building is 60°. If the tower is 50 m high, find the height of the building. {CBSE 2022,
13}

4. From a point on the ground, the angles of elevation of the bottom and the top of a tower fixed at the top of a 20 m
high building are 45° and 60° respectively. Find the height of the tower. (Use √3 = 1.732) {CBSE 2020}

5. An aeroplane plane when flying at height of 3125 m from the ground passes vertically below another plane at an
instant when the angles of elevation of the two planes from the same point on the ground are 30° and 60° respectively.
Find the distance between the two planes at that instant. {CBSE 2022}

6. An aeroplane when flying at a height of 3000 m from the ground passes vertically above another plane at an instant
when the angles of elevation of the two planes from the same point on the ground are 60° and 45° respectively. Find
the vertical distance between the aeroplane at that instant. Also, find the distance of first aeroplane from the point of
observation. {CBSE 2023}

7. A statue, 1.6 m tall, stands on the top of a pedestal. From a point on the ground, the angle of elevation of the top of
the statue is 60 and from the same point the angle of elevation of the top of the pedestal is 45. Find the height of the
pedestal. {CBSE 2020}

8. A T.V. tower stands vertically on a bank of a canal. From a point on the other bank directly opposite the tower, the
angle of elevation of the top of the tower is 60°. From another point 20 m away from this point on the line joining this
point to the foot of tower, the angle of elevation of the top of the tower is 30°. Find the height of the tower and the
width of the canal. {CBSE 2014}

9. A man in a boat rowing away from a lighthouse 100 m high takes 2 minutes to change the angle of elevation of the
top of the lighthouse from 60° to 30°. Find the speed of the boat in metres per minutes. (Use √3 = 1.732) {CBSE
2019}

10. As observed from the top of a 100 m high lighthouse from the sea-level, the angles of depression of two ships are
30° and 45°. If one ship is exactly behind the other on the same side of the lighthouse, find the distance between the
two ships. (Use √3 = 1.732) {CBSE 2004, 18}

11. From the top of a tower 50 m high, a man observes two car on the opposite sides of the tower with angle of
depression 30° and 45° respectively. Find the distance between the cars. (Use √3 = 1.732) {CBSE 2022}

12. Two poles of equal heights are standing opposite each other on either side of the road which is 80 m wide. From a
point between them on the road, the angle of elevation of the top of the poles are 60° and 30° respectively. Find the
heights of the pole and the distances of the point from the poles. {CBSE 2019, 18, 15}

13. Two pillars are standing on either side of a 80 m wide road. Height of one pillar is 20 more than the height of the
other pillar. From a point on the road between the pillars, the angle of elevation of the higher pillar is 60°, whereas that
of the other pillar is 30°. Find the position of the point between the pillars and the height of each pillar. (Use √3 =
1.732) {CBSE 2023}

14. The angle of depression of the top and bottom of a 50 m high building from the top of a tower 45° and 60°
respectively. Find the height of the tower and the horizontal distance between the tower and the building. (Use √3 =
1.732) {CBSE 2016}

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15. The angle of elevation of the top of a hill at the foot of a tower is 60° and the angle of depression from the top of
the tower of the foot of the hill is 30°. If the tower is 50 m high, find the height of the hill. {CBSE 2018}

16. The angles of elevation and depression of the top and the bottom of a tower from the top of a building, 60 m high,
are 30° and 60° respectively. Find the height of the tower and the distance between them. (Use √3 = 1.732) {CBSE
2023, 16, 05}

17. At a point A, 20 m above the level of water in a lake, the angle of elevation of a cloud is 30°. The angle of
depression of the reflection of the cloud in the lake, at A is 60°. Find the distance of the cloud from A. {CBSE 2015}

18. A straight highway leads to the foot of a tower. A man standing at the top of the tower observes a car at an angle
of depression of 30°, which is approaching the foot of a tower with a uniform speed. Ten seconds later, the angle of
depression of the car is found to be 60°. Find the time taken by the car to reach the foot of the tower from this point.
{CBSE 2022}

19. A ladder set against a wall at an angle 45° to the ground. If the foot of the ladder is pulled away from the wall
throw a distance of 4 m, its top slides a distance of 3 m down the wall making an 30° with the ground. Find the final
height of the top of the ladder from the ground and the length of the ladder. {CBSE 2023}

20. A spherical balloon of radius r subtends an angle of 60° at the eye of an observer. If the angle of elevation of its
centre is 45°, then prove that the height of the centre of the balloon is √2 times its radius. {CBSE 2023}

21. The angle of elevation of the top of a tower from a point on the ground which is 30 m away from the foot of tower
is 30°. Find the height of the tower. {CBSE 2023, 20}

22. If a tower 30 m high, casts a shadow of 10√3 m long on the ground, then what is the angle of elevation of the sun?
{CBSE 2017}

23. The ratio of the height of a vertical rod and its shadow’s length on the ground is 1 : √3. Find the angle of elevation
of the sun. {CBSE 2020, 13}

24. Find the length of the shadow on the ground of a pole of height 18 m when the angle of elevation Ө of the sun is
that tan Ө = . {CBSE 2023}

25. The angle of depression of a car standing on the ground, from the top of a 75 m high tower is 30°. Find the
distance of the car from the base of the tower. {CBSE2013}

26. The tops of two poles of height 20 m and 28 m are connected with a wire. The wire is inclined to the horizontal at
an angle of 30°. Find the length of the wire and the distance between poles. {CBSE 2022}

27. From the top of a 7 m high building the angle of elevation of the top of a cable tower is 60° and the angle of
depression of its foot is 30°. Determine the height of the tower. {CBSE 2023}

28. The angle of elevation of the top of a building from the foot of the tower is 30° and the angle of elevation of the
top of the tower from the foot of the building is 45°. If the tower is 30 m high, find the height of the building. {CBSE
2015}

29. From a point on the ground, the angles of elevation of the bottom and top of a transmission tower fixed at the top
of a 30 m high building are 30° and 60° respectively. Find the height of the transmission tower. {CBSE 2023}

30. A vertical tower stands on a horizontal plane and is surmounted by a vertical flag-staff of height 6 m. At a point on
the plane, the angles of elevation of the bottom and the top of the flag-staff are 30° and 45° respectively. Find the
height of the tower. (Use √3 = 1.732) {CBSE 2020, 19, 16, 15}

31. The angle of elevation of the top of a tower at a distance of 120 m from a point A on the ground is 45°. If the angle
of elevation of the top of a flagstaff fixed at the top of the tower, at A is 60°, then find the height of the flagstaff. (Use
√3 = 1.732) {CBSE 2014}

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32. From a point P on the ground the angle of elevation of the top of a 10 m tall building is 30°. A flag is hoisted at the
top of the building and the angle of elevation of the top of the flagstaff from P is 45°. Find the length of the flagstaff
and the distance of the building from the point P. (Use √3 = 1.732) {CBSE 2013}

33. A person walking 48 m towards a tower in a horizontal line through its base observes that the angle of elevation of
the top of the tower changes from 45° to 60°. Find the height of the tower and distance of the person, now, from the
tower. (Use √3 = 1.732) {CBSE 2023}

34. One observer estimates the angle of elevation to the basket of hot air balloon to be 60°, while another observer 100
m away estimates the angle of elevation to be 30°. Find:
(i) the height of the basket from the ground.
(ii) the distance of the basket from first observer’s eye.
(iii) the horizontal distance of the second observer from the basket. {CBSE 2023}

35. As observed from the top of a 75 m high light house from the sea level, the angles of depression of two ships are
30° and 60°. If one ship is exactly behind the other on the same side of the light house, find the distance between two
ships. (Use √3 = 1.732) {CBSE 2023}

36. The angle of elevation of the top of a tower 24 m high from the foot of another tower in the same plane is 60°. The
angle of elevation of the top of the second tower from the foot of the first tower is 30°. Find the distance between two
towers and the height of the other tower. Also, find the length of the wire attached to the tops of two towers. {CBSE
2023}

37. A straight highway leads to the foot of a tower. A man standing at the top of a tower observes a car at an angle of
depression of 30°, which is approaching the foot of tower with a uniform speed. After covering a distance of 50 m, the
angle of depression of the car becomes 60°. Find the height of the tower. (Use √3 = 1.732) {CBSE 2020}

38. A moving boat is observed from the top of a 150 m high cliff moving away from the cliff. The angle of depression
of the boat changes from 60° to 45° in 2 minutes. Find the speed of the boat in m / h. {CBSE 2019}

39. The shadow of a tower is found to be 40 m longer when the Sun's altitude is 30° then when it was 60°. Find the
height of the tower. (Use √3 = 1.732) {CBSE 2019}

40. From a point on a bridge across a river, the angles of depression of the banks on opposite sides of the river are 30°
and 45° respectively. If the bridge is at a height of 3 m from the banks, then find the width of the river. {CBSE 2022}

41. Two ships are there on either side of a lighthouse in such a way that the ships and the lighthouse are in the same
straight line. The angles of depression of two ships as observed from the top of the lighthouse are 60° and 45°. If the
height of the lighthouse is 200 m, find the distance between the two ships. (Use √3 = 1.732) {CBSE 2014}

42. The angle of elevation of the top of a vertical tower from a point P on the ground is 60°. From another point Q, 10
m vertically above the first point P, the angle of elevation is 30°. Find:
(i) the height of the tower.
(ii) the distance of the point P from the foot of tower.
(iii) the distance of the point P from the top of tower. {CBSE 2023}

43. There are two poles, one each on either bank of a river just opposite to each other. One pole is 60 m high. From the
top of this pole, the angles of depression of the top and foot of the other pole are 30° and 60° respectively. Find the
width of the river and the height of the other pole. {CBSE 2019}

44. The angle of elevation of the top Q of a vertical tower PQ from appoint X on the ground is 60°. From a point Y, 40
m vertically above X, the angle of elevation of the top Q of the tower is 45°. Find the height of the tower PQ and the
distance PX. (Use √3 = 1.732) {CBSE 2016}

45. A man standing on the deck of a ship, which is 10 m above water level, observes the angle of elevation of the top
of a hill as 60° and angle of depression of the base of the hill as 30°. Find the distance of the hill from the ship and the
height of the hill. {CBSE 2016, 10, 05, 04}

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46. The angle of elevation of a cloud from a point 60 m above a lake is 30° and the angle of depression of its reflection
in the lake is 60°. Find the height of the cloud. {CBSE 2017, 10}

47. From a point P on the ground, the angle of elevation of the top of a tower is 30° and that of the top of a flagstaff
fixed on the top of the tower is 60°. If the length of the flagstaff is 5 m, find the height of the tower. {CBSE 2015}

48. An aeroplane is flying at height of 300 m above the ground. Flying at this height, the angles of depression from the
aeroplane of two points on both banks of a river in opposite directions are 45° and 60° respectively. Find the width of
the river. (Use √3 = 1.732) {CBSE 2017}

49. From the top of a 60 m high building, the angles of depression of the top and the bottom of a tower are 45° and 60°
respectively. Find the height of the tower. (Use √3 = 1.732) {CBSE 2014}

50. A bird is sitting on the top of a 80 m high tree. From a point on the ground, the angle of elevation of the bird is
45°. The bird flew away horizontally in such a way that it remained at a constant height from the ground. After 2
seconds, the angle of elevation of the bird from the same point is 30°. Find the speed of flying of the bird. (Use √3 =
1.732) {CBSE 2016}

51. Two pillars of equal height and on either side of a road, which is 100 m wide. The angles of elevation of the top of
the pillars are 60° and 30° at a point on the road between the pillars. Find the position of the point between the pillars
and height of each pillar. {CBSE 2005, 13, 09}

52. From a window 15 m high above the ground in a street, the angles of elevation and depression of the top and the
foot of another house on the opposite side of the street are 30° and 45° respectively show that the height of the
opposite house is 23.66 m. (Use √3 = 1.732) {CBSE 2006}

53. The angle of elevation of a jet plane from a point A on the ground is 60°. After a flight of 30 seconds, the angle of
elevation changes to 30°. If the jet plane is flying at a constant height of 3600 √3 m, find the speed of the jet plane.
{CBSE 2008, 14}

54. An aeroplane when flying at a height of 4000 m from the ground passes vertically above another aeroplane at an
instant when the angles of the elevation of the two planes from the same point on the ground are 60° and 45°
respectively. Find the vertical distance between the aeroplane at that instant. {CBSE 2008, 09, 16}

55. The angles of elevation of the top of a tower from 2 points at distances A and B metres from the base and in the
same straight line with it are complementary. Prove that the height of the tower is √ab metres. {CBSE 2002 C, 04}

56. A round balloon of radius r subtends an angle α at the eye of the observer while the angle of elevation of its
centre is β. Prove that the height of the centre of the balloon is a r sin β cosec α/2. {CBSE 2023}

57. A straight highway leads to the foot of a tower. A man standing at the top of the tower observes a
car at angle of depression of 30°, which is approaching to the foot of the tower with a uniform speed. 6 seconds later,
the angle of depression of the car is found to be 60°. Find the further time taken by the car to reach the foot of the
tower. {CBSE 2008, 09, 17}

58. A man on the top of a vertical tower observes a car moving at a uniform speed coming directly towards it. If it
takes 12 minutes for the angle of depression to change from 30° to 45°, how soon after this, will the car reach the
tower? Give your answer to the nearest second. {CBSE 2006 C}

59. A vertical tower stands on a horizontal plane and is surmounted by a vertical flagstaff. At a point on the plane 70
m away from the tower an observer notice that the angles of the elevation of the top and the bottom of the flagstaff
are respectively 60° and 45°. Find the height of the flagstaff and that of the tower. {CBSE 2014}

60. Two points A and B are on the same side of a tower and in the same straight line with its base. The angles of
depression of these points from the top of the tower are 60° and 45° respectively. If the height of the tower is 15 m,
then find the distance between these points. {CBSE 2017}

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61. The angle of elevation of a tower from a point on the same level as the foot of the tower is 30°. On advancing 150
m towards the foot of the tower, the angle of elevation of the tower becomes 60. Show that the height of the tower is
129.9 m. (Use √3 = 1.732) {CBSE 2006}

62. The angle of elevation of the top of a tower as observed from a point in a horizontal plane through the foot of
the tower is 32°. When the observer moves towards the tower a distance of 100 m, he finds the angle of elevation
of the top to be 63°. Find the height of the tower and the distance of the first position from the tower. (Take tan
32° = 0.6248 and tan 63° = 1.9626) {CBSE 2001 C}

63. The angle of elevation of the top of a tower from a point A on the ground is 30°. On moving a distance of 20 m
towards the foot of the tower to a point B the angle of elevation increases to 60°. Find the height of the tower and the
distance of the tower from the point A. {CBSE 2002, 15, 17}

64. From the top of a building 15 m high the angle of elevation of the top of a tower is found to be 30°. From the
bottom of the same building, the angle of elevation of the top of the tower is found to be 60°. Find the height of the
tower and the distance between the tower and the building. {CBSE 2002}

65. On a horizontal plane there is a vertical tower with a flag pole on the top of the tower. At a point 9 m away from
the foot of the tower the angle of elevation of the top and bottom of the flag pole are 60° and 30° respectively. Find the
height of the tower and the flag pole mounted on it. {CBSE 2005}

66. A 1.5 m tall boy is standing at some distance from a 30 m tall building. The angle of elevation from his eyes to the
top of the building increases from 30° to 60° as he walks towards a building. Find the distance he walk towards the
building. {CBSE 2014}

67. The angles of depression of the top and bottom of 8 m tall building from the top of a multistoried building are 30°
and 45° respectively. Find the height of the multistoried building and the distance between the two buildings. {CBSE
2009}

68. From the top of a 120 m high tower, a man observes two cars on the opposite sides of the tower and in a straight
line with the base of tower with angle of depression as 60° and 45°. Find the distance between the cars. (Use √3 =
1.732) {CBSE 2017}

69. Two boats approach a light house in mid-sea from opposite direction. The angles of elevation of the top of the
light house from two boats are 30° and 45° respectively. If the distance between two boats is 100 m, find the height of
the light house. {CBSE 2014}

70. Two men on either side of the cliff 80 m high observes the angles of elevation of the top of the cliff to be 30° and
60° respectively. Find the distance between the two men. {CBSE 2016}

71. A flagstaff stands on the top of a 5 m high tower. From a point on the ground the angle of elevation of the top
of the flagstaff is 60° and from the same point, the angle of elevation of the top of the tower is 45°. Find the height
of the flagstaff. {CBSE 2013}

72. The horizontal distance between two poles is 15 m. The angle of depression of the top of the first pole as seen
from the top of the second pole is 30°. If the height of the second pole is 24 m, find the height of the first pole. (Use
√3 = 1.732) {CBSE 2013}

73. The angles of depression of two ships from the top of a light house and on the same side of it are found to be 45°
and 30° respectively. If the ships are 200 m apart, find the height of the light house. {CBSE 2012}

74. The angles of elevation of the top of a tower from two points at distance of 4 m and 9 m from the base of the
tower and in the same straight line with it are complementary. Prove that the height of the tower is 6 m. {CBSE
2016}

75. The angle of elevation of the top of a chimney from the top of a tower is 60° and the angle of depression of the
foot of the chimney from the top of the tower is 30°. If the height of the tower is 40 m, find the height of the
chimney. {CBSE 2014}

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76. From the top of a building AB 60 m high, the angles of depression of the top and bottom of a vertical lam post
CD are observed to be 30° and 60° respectively. Find:
(i) the horizontal distance between ab and CD.
(ii) the height of the lamp post.
(iii) the difference between the heights of the building and the lamp post. {CBSE 2009}

77. A man in a boat rowing away from a lighthouse 100 m high takes 2 minutes to change the angle of elevation of the
top of the light house from 60° to 30°. Find the speed of the boat in metres per minute. (Use √3 = 1.732) {CBSE
2019}

78. If the angle of elevation of a cloud from a point h meters above a lake is and the angle of depression of its
reflection in the lake be β. Prove that the distance of the cloud from the point of observation is . {CBSE
2004}

79. From an aeroplane vertically above a straight horizontal road, the angles of depression of two consecutive mile
stones on opposite sides of the aeroplane are observed to be α and β. Show that the height in miles of aeroplanes
above the road is given by . {CBSE 2004}

80. The tops of two towers of height x and y, standing on level ground, subtend angles of 30° and 60° respectively at
the centre of the line joining their feet, then find x : y. {CBSE 2015}

81. The angle of elevation of the top of a tower at a point on the ground is 30°. What will be the angle of elevation, if
the height of the tower is tripled? {CBSE 2015}

82. AB is a pole of height 6 m standing at a point B and CD is a ladder inclined at angle of 60° to the horizontal and
reaches up to a point D of pole. If AD = 2.54 m, find the length of the ladder. (Use √3 = 1.732) {CBSE 2016}

Answers

[1] 30° [2] 15.34 m [3] 16 m [4] 14.64 m [5] 6250 m [6] 3460 m [7] 2.184 m [8] 10√3 m, 10 m [9]

57.73 m/min [10] 73.2 m [11] 136.5 m [12] 20√3 m, 20 m, 60 m [13] 51.35 m, 29.6 m, 49.6 m [14] 118.25

(√ ) √ ( √ )
m, 68.25 m [15] 150 m [16] 80 m, 34.64 m [17] 40 m [18] 5 seconds [19] m, m [21]

10√3 m [22] 60° [23] 30° [24] 21 m [25] 75√3 m [26] 16 m, 8√3 m [27] 21 m [28] 10√3 m [29] 20 m

[30] 8.19 m [31] 87.6 m [32] 7.32 m, 17.32 m [33] 113.568 m, 65.568 m [34] (i) 50√3 m (ii) 100 m (iii) 150 m

[35] 86.5 m [36] 8√3 m, 8 m, 8√7 m [37] 43.25 m [38] 1902 m/h [39] 34.64 m [40] 8.19 m [41] 315.33 m

[42] (i) 15 m (ii) 5√3 m (iii) 10√3 m [43] 34.64 m, 40 m [44] 94.64 m, 54.64 m [45] 10√3 m, 40 m [46] 120 m

[47] 2.5 m [48] 473.2 m [49] 25.4 m [50] 29.28 m/sec [51] 25 m and 75 m, 43.3 m [53] 864 km/hr [54]

1690.53 m [57] 3 seconds [58] 16 minutes 23 seconds [59] 51.24 m, 70 m [60] 6.340 m [62] 91.65 m, 146.7

m [63] 17.3 m, 30 m [64] 22.5 m, 12.975 m [65] 3√3 m, 6√3 m [66] 19√3 m [67] 4(3 + √3) m, 4(3 + √3) m

[68] 189.28 m [69] 50(√3 – 1) m [70] 184.8 m [71] 3.65 m [72] 15.34 m [73] 273.2 m [75] 160 m [76] (i)

34.64 m (ii) 40 m (iii) 20 m [77] 57.736 m [80] 1 : 3 [81] 60° [82] 4 m

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