Table of Contents
Exercise 11.3 Solutions
Some Applications of Trigonometry
Class X Mathematics Textbook
State Council of Educational Research and Training, Telangana, Hyderabad
Problem 1
A TV tower stands vertically on the side of a road. From a point on the other side directly opposite to the tower, the angle of elevation of the top of tower is \( 60^\circ \). From another point 10 m away from this point, on the line joining this point to the foot of the tower, the angle of elevation of the top of the tower is \( 30^\circ \). Find the height of the tower and the width of the road.
Solution:
Let the height of the tower be \( h \) meters and the width of the road be \( x \) meters.
From point A (directly opposite):
\[ \tan 60^\circ = \frac{h}{x} \Rightarrow h = x\sqrt{3} \]
From point B (10m from A towards the tower):
\[ \tan 30^\circ = \frac{h}{x + 10} \Rightarrow \frac{1}{\sqrt{3}} = \frac{h}{x + 10} \]
Substitute \( h = x\sqrt{3} \):
\[ \frac{1}{\sqrt{3}} = \frac{x\sqrt{3}}{x + 10} \]
\[ x + 10 = 3x \]
\[ 2x = 10 \Rightarrow x = 5 \text{ meters} \]
Then \( h = 5\sqrt{3} \) meters.
Answer: The height of the tower is \( 5\sqrt{3} \) meters and the width of the road is 5 meters.
Problem 2
A 1.5 m tall boy is looking at the top of a temple which is 30 meter in height from a point at certain distance. The angle of elevation from his eye to the top of the crown of the temple increases from 30° to 60° as he walks towards the temple. Find the distance he walked towards the temple.
Solution:
Effective height of temple above boy’s eye level = 30 – 1.5 = 28.5 meters
Let initial distance be \( x \) meters and distance walked be \( d \) meters.
From initial position:
\[ \tan 30^\circ = \frac{28.5}{x} \Rightarrow x = 28.5\sqrt{3} \]
From final position:
\[ \tan 60^\circ = \frac{28.5}{x – d} \Rightarrow x – d = \frac{28.5}{\sqrt{3}} \]
Substitute \( x = 28.5\sqrt{3} \):
\[ 28.5\sqrt{3} – d = \frac{28.5}{\sqrt{3}} \]
\[ d = 28.5\sqrt{3} – \frac{28.5}{\sqrt{3}} \]
\[ d = 28.5\left(\sqrt{3} – \frac{1}{\sqrt{3}}\right) = 28.5\left(\frac{3 – 1}{\sqrt{3}}\right) = \frac{57}{\sqrt{3}} = 19\sqrt{3} \text{ meters} \]
Answer: The boy walked \( 19\sqrt{3} \) meters towards the temple.
Problem 3
A statue stands on the top of a 2m tall 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 statue.
Solution:
Let the height of the statue be \( h \) meters and distance from point to pedestal be \( x \) meters.
For pedestal (2m height):
\[ \tan 45^\circ = \frac{2}{x} \Rightarrow x = 2 \text{ meters} \]
For statue (2 + h meters height):
\[ \tan 60^\circ = \frac{2 + h}{2} \Rightarrow \sqrt{3} = \frac{2 + h}{2} \]
\[ 2 + h = 2\sqrt{3} \Rightarrow h = 2\sqrt{3} – 2 = 2(\sqrt{3} – 1) \text{ meters} \]
Answer: The height of the statue is \( 2(\sqrt{3} – 1) \) meters.
Problem 4
From the top of a building, the angle of elevation of the top of a cell tower is 60° and the angle of depression to its foot is 45°. If distance of the building from the tower is 7m, then find the height of the tower.
Solution:
Let height of building be \( h \) meters and height of tower be \( H \) meters.
From angle of depression (45°):
\[ \tan 45^\circ = \frac{h}{7} \Rightarrow h = 7 \text{ meters} \]
From angle of elevation (60°):
\[ \tan 60^\circ = \frac{H – h}{7} \Rightarrow \sqrt{3} = \frac{H – 7}{7} \]
\[ H – 7 = 7\sqrt{3} \Rightarrow H = 7 + 7\sqrt{3} = 7(1 + \sqrt{3}) \text{ meters} \]
Answer: The height of the tower is \( 7(1 + \sqrt{3}) \) meters.
Problem 5
A wire of length 18 m had been tied with electric pole at an angle of elevation 30° with the ground. Because it was covering a long distance, it was cut and tied at an angle of elevation 60° with the ground. How much length of the wire was cut?
Solution:
Let height of pole be \( h \) meters.
Original wire (18m at 30°):
\[ \sin 30^\circ = \frac{h}{18} \Rightarrow h = 18 \times \frac{1}{2} = 9 \text{ meters} \]
New wire (at 60°):
\[ \sin 60^\circ = \frac{9}{L} \Rightarrow L = \frac{9}{\sin 60^\circ} = \frac{9}{\sqrt{3}/2} = \frac{18}{\sqrt{3}} = 6\sqrt{3} \text{ meters} \]
Length cut = Original – New = \( 18 – 6\sqrt{3} = 6(3 – \sqrt{3}) \) meters
Answer: \( 6(3 – \sqrt{3}) \) meters of wire was cut.
Problem 6
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 60°. If the tower is 30 m high, find the height of the building.
Solution:
Let height of building be \( h \) meters and distance between them be \( d \) meters.
From building’s foot to tower’s top (30m):
\[ \tan 60^\circ = \frac{30}{d} \Rightarrow d = \frac{30}{\sqrt{3}} = 10\sqrt{3} \text{ meters} \]
From tower’s foot to building’s top:
\[ \tan 30^\circ = \frac{h}{d} \Rightarrow \frac{1}{\sqrt{3}} = \frac{h}{10\sqrt{3}} \]
\[ h = \frac{10\sqrt{3}}{\sqrt{3}} = 10 \text{ meters} \]
Answer: The height of the building is 10 meters.
Problem 7
Two poles of equal heights are standing opposite to each other on either side of the road, which is 120 feet wide. From a point between them on the road, the angles of elevation of the top of the poles are 60° and 30° respectively. Find the height of the poles and the distances of the point from the poles.
Solution:
Let height of poles be \( h \) feet.
Let distances from point to poles be \( x \) and \( 120 – x \) feet.
For first pole (60°):
\[ \tan 60^\circ = \frac{h}{x} \Rightarrow h = x\sqrt{3} \]
For second pole (30°):
\[ \tan 30^\circ = \frac{h}{120 – x} \Rightarrow \frac{1}{\sqrt{3}} = \frac{h}{120 – x} \]
Substitute \( h = x\sqrt{3} \):
\[ \frac{1}{\sqrt{3}} = \frac{x\sqrt{3}}{120 – x} \]
\[ 120 – x = 3x \]
\[ 4x = 120 \Rightarrow x = 30 \text{ feet} \]
Then \( h = 30\sqrt{3} \) feet
Distances: 30 feet and 90 feet
Answer: The poles are \( 30\sqrt{3} \) feet high. The point is 30 feet from one pole and 90 feet from the other.
Problem 8
The angles of elevation of the top of a tower from two points at a distance of 4 m and 9 m from the base of the tower and in the same straight line with it are complementary. Find the height of the tower.
Solution:
Let height of tower be \( h \) meters.
Let angles be \( \theta \) and \( 90^\circ – \theta \).
From first point (4m):
\[ \tan \theta = \frac{h}{4} \]
From second point (9m):
\[ \tan(90^\circ – \theta) = \frac{h}{9} \Rightarrow \cot \theta = \frac{h}{9} \]
Since \( \tan \theta \times \cot \theta = 1 \):
\[ \frac{h}{4} \times \frac{h}{9} = 1 \]
\[ h^2 = 36 \Rightarrow h = 6 \text{ meters} \]
Answer: The height of the tower is 6 meters.
Problem 9
The angle of elevation of a jet plane from a point A on the ground is 60°. After a flight of 15 seconds, the angle of elevation changes to 30°. If the jet plane is flying at a constant height of \( 1500\sqrt{3} \) meter, find the speed of the jet plane.
Solution:
Let initial distance be \( x \) meters and height \( h = 1500\sqrt{3} \) meters.
Initial position (60°):
\[ \tan 60^\circ = \frac{h}{x} \Rightarrow x = \frac{1500\sqrt{3}}{\sqrt{3}} = 1500 \text{ meters} \]
After 15 seconds (30°):
\[ \tan 30^\circ = \frac{h}{x + d} \Rightarrow \frac{1}{\sqrt{3}} = \frac{1500\sqrt{3}}{1500 + d} \]
\[ 1500 + d = 1500 \times 3 = 4500 \]
\[ d = 3000 \text{ meters} \]
Speed = Distance/Time = \( \frac{3000}{15} = 200 \) m/s
Convert to km/h: \( 200 \times \frac{18}{5} = 720 \) km/h
Answer: The speed of the jet plane is 720 km/h.
Problem 10
The angle of elevation of the top of a tower from the foot of the building is 30° and the angle of elevation of the top of the building from the foot of the tower is 60°. What is the ratio of heights of tower and building.
Solution:
Let height of tower be \( h_t \) and building be \( h_b \), distance between them be \( d \).
From building’s foot to tower’s top:
\[ \tan 30^\circ = \frac{h_t}{d} \Rightarrow d = h_t\sqrt{3} \]
From tower’s foot to building’s top:
\[ \tan 60^\circ = \frac{h_b}{d} \Rightarrow \sqrt{3} = \frac{h_b}{h_t\sqrt{3}} \]
\[ h_b = 3h_t \]
Ratio \( \frac{h_t}{h_b} = \frac{h_t}{3h_t} = \frac{1}{3} \)
Answer: The ratio of heights of tower to building is 1:3.