March 3-4, 2025

QUARTER IV – Module 3
ANGLE OF DEPRESSION and ANGLE OF
ELEVATION
Objectives: 1. illustrate angle of
depression and angle of elevation
2. solve problems involving angle of
depression and angle of elevation
The angle of elevation is the angle
from the horizontal up to the line of
sight from the observer to an object
above.
The angle of depression
is
the angle from the
horizontal down to the
line
of sight from the
EXAMPLE 1: Given the figure below,
classify each angle as an angle of
elevation or an angle of depression.
∠𝟏 angle of
∠𝟑 depression
are formed by a
horizontal line
and a
line of sight to a
point
angle of
below the line.
∠𝟐 are formed by a horizontal line and
elevation
∠𝟒 a line of sight to a point above the
Postulates and Theorems on angles
formed by parallel lines cut by
transversal will be used on illustrating
and solving problems involving angle of
elevation and angle of depression. 𝒌/¿𝒍
THEOREM:
𝒕 𝒕𝒊𝒔𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒕𝒓𝒂𝒏𝒔𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒔𝒂𝒍
𝟒𝟏
If two parallel lines 𝒌 𝟑 𝟐 ¿
are cut by a
𝟖 𝟓
transversal,
𝒍 𝟕 𝟔 ¿
then the alternate
interior ∠𝟐 ≅∠𝟖
angles are congruent. ∠𝟑 ≅∠𝟓
Example: 1. Given the figure, solve for the
value of x
Solutio

(4 + 6𝑥) and (𝑥 + 89) are

n:
From the given figure,

alternate interior angles

formed by parallel lines cut
by alternate
By a transversal line.angle
interior

Solving for4 + 6𝑥 = 𝑥 + 89Checking:

theorem,

6𝑥 − 𝑥 = 89 4 + 6𝑥 = 𝑥 +
− 45𝑥 =
x:
?
89𝟒+ 𝟔(𝟏𝟕)=𝟏𝟕+𝟖𝟗
85𝒙= 𝟏𝟎𝟔=𝟏𝟎𝟔
2. A tree is struck by lightning and snaps off 34
feet above the ground. The top part of the tree,
117 feet long, rests with the tip on the ground
while the broken end rests on the top of the
stump. What angle does the top part of the tree
make with the ground? 𝒐𝒑𝒑𝒐𝒔𝒊𝒕𝒆
𝒔𝒊𝒏 ⁡𝜽=
𝒉𝒚𝒑𝒐𝒕𝒆𝒏𝒖𝒔𝒆
𝟏𝟏𝟕 𝒇𝒕
𝟑𝟒
𝒔𝒊𝒏 ⁡𝜽=
𝟑𝟒 𝒇𝒕 𝟏𝟏𝟕

𝜽 𝜽=𝒔𝒊𝒏 −𝟏
( 𝟑𝟒
𝟏𝟏𝟕 )
⁰
3. The sun shines on a flagpole, causing a
shadow to be cast on the ground. The distance
from the base of the pole to the tip of the
shadow is 49 feet. At that time of day, the sun’s
rays make an angle of 38º with the ground. How
tall is the flagpole? 𝒐𝒑𝒑𝒐𝒔𝒊𝒕𝒆
𝐭𝐚𝐧 𝟑𝟖=¿ ¿
𝒂𝒅𝒋𝒂𝒄𝒆𝒏𝒕
𝒉
𝒉 𝐭𝐚𝐧 𝟑𝟖=¿ ¿
𝟒𝟗
𝟑𝟖 ⁰ 𝒉=𝟒𝟗 𝐭𝐚𝐧 𝟑𝟖
𝟒𝟗 𝒇𝒕
𝒉=𝟑𝟖 .𝟐𝟖 ≈𝟑𝟖 .𝟑 𝒇𝒕
4. The sun is at an angle of elevation of
58°. A tree casts a shadow 20 meters
long on the ground. How tall is the tree?
tan

𝒙 tan
𝟓𝟖 ⁰ 𝒙=𝟐𝟎 𝐭𝐚𝐧 𝟓𝟖 ⁰
𝟐𝟎𝒎
𝒙=𝟑𝟐 . 𝟎𝟎𝟔 ≈𝟑𝟐 .𝟎𝟏 𝒎
5. A building 62 feet tall casts a shadow 21
feet long. At what angle is the sun shining
on the building? 𝒐𝒑𝒑𝒐𝒔𝒊𝒕𝒆
𝒕 𝒂 𝒏 ⁡⁡𝜽=
𝒂𝒅𝒋𝒂𝒄𝒆𝒏𝒕
𝟔𝟐
𝒕 𝒂𝒏 ⁡⁡𝜽=
𝟐𝟏
𝟔𝟐 𝒇𝒕
𝜽
𝜽=𝒕𝒂𝒏 −𝟏
( )
𝟔𝟐
𝟐𝟏
𝟐𝟏 𝒇𝒕
⁰
6. A woman is standing on the ground at a
point 78
feet from the base of a building. The
angle of
elevation to the top𝐭𝐚𝐧 the𝒐𝒑𝒑𝒐𝒔𝒊𝒕𝒆
of𝟓𝟕=¿ building¿ is 57º.
How 𝒂𝒅𝒋𝒂𝒄𝒆𝒏𝒕
high is the building?
𝒉 𝐭𝐚𝐧 𝟓𝟕=¿ 𝒉 ¿
𝟕𝟖
57
𝒉=𝟕𝟖 𝐭𝐚𝐧 𝟓𝟕
𝟕𝟖 𝒇𝒕
𝒉 ≈ 𝟏𝟐𝟎 𝒇𝒕
7. Find the height of a tree if the angle of
elevation of its top changes from 20⁰ to 40⁰ as
the observer advances 75 ft toward
Let its height
x be the base. of
the tree and y be the
distance from point D to
the base of the tree.
𝒙 Thus, tan and
tan.
75 ft

Note
𝒙

that
𝒚=
𝐭𝐚𝐧 𝟒𝟎
Find the height of a tree if the angle of
elevation of its top changes from 20⁰ to 40⁰ as
the observer advances 75 ft toward its base.
tan 20 =

75 tan 40 tan 20 + x tan 20 = x

tan 40
75 tan 40 tan 20 = x (tan 40 -
tan 20)
75 tan 40 tan 20 = x (tan 40 -
tan
tan20)
40 - tan tan 40 - tan
tan 20 = 20 20
𝒙=𝟒𝟖 .𝟐𝟎𝟗 ≈ 𝟒𝟖.𝟐𝟏 𝒇𝒕
8. You sit in a bleacher at a concert. The
angle of depression from your horizontal
sight to the stage is 24˚. If your seat is 45
feet above the stage level, what is your
actual distance from the stage? 𝒐𝒑𝒑𝒐𝒔𝒊𝒕𝒆
𝐬𝐢𝐧 𝟐𝟒=¿ ¿
𝟐𝟒 ⁰ 𝒉𝒚𝒑𝒐𝒕𝒆𝒏𝒖𝒔𝒆

4 c 𝟒𝟓
𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒈𝒆 𝐬𝐢𝐧 𝟐𝟒=¿ ¿
𝒄
𝟐𝟒 ⁰ c=

𝒄=𝟏𝟏𝟎 .𝟔𝟒 𝒇 𝒕
9. The Seattle Space Needle casts a 67- meter
shadow. If the angle of elevation from the tip of
the shadow to the top of the Space Needle is
70º, how tall is the Space Needle?
𝒐𝒑𝒑𝒐𝒔𝒊𝒕𝒆
𝐭𝐚𝐧 𝟕𝟎 ⁰=¿ ¿
𝒂𝒅𝒋𝒂𝒄𝒆𝒏𝒕

x – space 𝒙
𝐭𝐚𝐧 𝟕𝟎 ⁰=¿ ¿
needle 𝟔𝟕
70⁰ 𝒙=𝟔𝟕 𝐭𝐚𝐧 𝟕𝟎 ⁰
67m
𝒙=𝟏𝟖𝟒 . 𝟎𝟖𝒎
10. Suppose the plane is at an altitude of
3500 feet and the angle of elevation from the
airport to the plane is 29°. What is the
horizontal distance between the plane and
the airport?
𝒐𝒑𝒑𝒐𝒔𝒊𝒕𝒆
𝐭𝐚𝐧 𝟐𝟗 ⁰=¿ ¿
𝒂𝒅𝒋𝒂𝒄𝒆𝒏𝒕
𝟑𝟓𝟎𝟎
𝟑𝟓𝟎𝟎 𝒇 𝒕 𝐭𝐚𝐧 𝟐𝟗 ⁰=¿ ¿

29⁰
𝒙

𝒙 =

𝒙=𝟔𝟑𝟏𝟒 . 𝟏𝟕 𝒇 𝒕