Group Members: ___________________

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Date: ___________________

Trigonometry & Measurement Project

This project has 2 parts -

PART 1:
How is that astronomers were able to measure the distance between the Earth and the Sun? Do you
think they stretched a tape measure from the Earth to the sun? Since the OLDEN days, people have
been able to measure distance indirectly.

In this section, you will create an instrument to measure heights and lengths you cannot reach. This
instrument is called a clinometer.

Materials
• protractor
• string
• small, heavy object (ex: key, marble, etc)
• meter stick
• straw (build your own)
• cardboard
Step 1 – BUILD

With your partners, try to create a structure like this using the protractor, “straw,” cardboard, string,
meter stick. (HINT: make sure the string is aligned with the notch at the center of the protractor)

**to use the clinometer, you have to look through the straw to the item you are trying to measure, and
read the angle by the hanging string. The string must ALWAYS be perpendicular to the horizon.**

Step 2 – MEASURE

With your partners, work together to measure the angle of elevation of various TALL objects (ex:
school roof, flagpole, sun, ceiling, etc...). Then figure out how far / the distance you are from the object
you are measuring. Using the trigonometric functions we learned, determine the height of the item you
are measuring. Each person in the group must measure 2 different objects at school and 3 different
objects at home. Each height must use 2 different units -EX- height of building is 14yds or 504
inches.

Step 3 – REPORT
Write a detailed SUMMARY of everything you did. Include all calculations, units.
PART 2:

Make a Trigonometry Table

Background: Trigonometry tables are useful tools that have been used for centuries. The first table was
created by Hipparchus in the 2nd century. Using the 3 known trigonometric functions, you will each
create your own table.

Steps:
1. write down the formulas for sine, cosine and tangent

2. For the following angles (5o, 15o, 30o, 45o, 60o, 75o, 85o) use a protractor and ruler to draw a
right triangle that has an acute angle of that measure. EX- draw a right triangle with an angle of
5o, draw another triangle that has an angle of 15o, and so on.
**Make sure to leave space underneath each triangle**

3. Label the sides of each triangle – opposite, adjacent, hypotenuse (based on the given angle)

4. Measure the length of each triangle and write that on your paper.

EX: hyp B
12.8cm
opp θ = 45o
4.8cm
A θ
adj 6.2cm C

5. Find the sine, cosine, and tangent for the angles 5o, 15o, 30o, 45o, 60o, 75o, 85o using the lengths
and triangles you have drawn and measured. SHOW WORK AND CALCULATIONS

6. Create a table of all the sine, cosine and tangent values for the angles 5o, 15o, 30o, 45o, 60o, 75o,
85o.
Sample table -
Angle Sine Cosine Tangent
5o
15o
30o

Questions:
1. What pattern do you see for each trig function as the angle increases? Why? (make sure to include
words like ratio, relationship)

2. What pattern do you see for each trig function as the angle decreases? Why?
Problems-

Instructions: Solve the following real-world problems. Draw and label a triangle for each question.
MUST SHOW WORK to receive credit.

1. Tom wants to reach a second floor window on a house that is 20 feet above ground. If he puts
the ladder at a 70o angle to the ground, how long must the ladder be (in inches and meters)?

2. Sue wants to find the height a tree. It has a shadow of 15 feet when she is at a 48o angle of
elevation with the sun that is behind the tree.

3. A pilot begins descending to an airport when he is 6.5 miles away. He knows he cannot have
more than a 3o angle of depression. How high is he from the ground?
4. A surveyor (someone who measures landmarks) wants to find the distance from the north end
(point X) to the south end (point C) of a lake. He makes a right triangle by using point A which
is 17.5 m west of point C and at a 30o angle with point B. Find the distance across the lake (in
feet).

5. A lighthouse keeper has a 10o angle of depression between the horizontal light beam and the
line of sight form the ship. If the keeper is 19m above water, how far is the ship from the base
of the lighthouse (in inches)?

6. Design your own real-world problem involving trigonometric functions and right triangles.