Astronomy 105

Basic Trigonometry

7. Basic Trigonometry (Page 22)(Problem 1-4)
   

   Although the author suggests on page 23 that it is easier to solve sruveying problems using graph paper instead of trigonometry, it is not particularly complicated to use basic trigonometry.
   

   Refer to Figure 1.22 in the text. The relationship between the quantities marked ``Distance to Object'' and ``Baseline'' and the angle B can be summarized by the equation:

    

   The quantity tan B indicates the tangent of the angle B. Your calculator will have a button. To take the tangent of an angle, say , just hit to get the answer 0.4663.
   

   If your calculator gives a different answer, you will need to set the correct angular mode, namely degrees. Since calculators differ quite a bit on how one sets the correct mode, you should refer to the instruction manual for your calculator or ask for help.
   

   Example. If the measured baseline is 100 meters and the angle is , what is the distance to the object? Solve for Distance:

   

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