Procedure 1:
Determination of the sides of a right triangle when the hypotenuse and one angle are measured:
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Hypotenuse
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Angle "B"
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Measurement
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Side "a"
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Side "b"
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Calculated length using
trig functions
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Measured length
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Difference between calculated and measured values
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Procedure 2:
Determination of the hypotenuse and angles of a right triangle when the sides are measured:
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Side "a"
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Side "b"
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Measurement (cm)
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Hypotenuse
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Angle "B"
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Angle "A"
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Calculated values
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Measured values
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Difference between calculated and measured values
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Procedure 3:
Indirect measurements of heights by trigonometry
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Distance to building (m)
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Distance from ground to eyes (m)
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Angle to top of building
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Height "b"
tan B = opposite/adjacent
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Total height = Ht "b" + "ground to eyes" ht
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Questions:
A. Draw a triangle with sides measuring 8, 12, and 14.4 units. With a protractor measure the angles. Then compute the angles trigonometrically.
B. What would happen in your previous experiments if the wall or building were not perpendicular to the ground?
C. What uncertainty is introduced into the experiment by using a tape measure to measure the sides of the triangle?
D. To what degree of accuracy can you read a protractor?