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# 4 – Trigonometry

• SOH CAH TOA! SOH CAH TOA! What are these people chanting?
• It’s the rallying cry of trigonometry. Trigonometry studies the sides and angles of triangles, and the relationships among them. Trigonometry, and a process called triangulation, solves many navigation, distance and location problems. Like these:
• Suppose you’re constructing a zip line, and know you’ll get a satifying speed with an 80 degree angle. How much line do you need? SOH CAH TOA!
• The Leaning Tower of Piza is 56 meters tall and makes an 86 degree angle with the ground. If you climb to the top, and accidentally drop your keys, how far from the base of the tower would they land? SOH CAH TOA!
• How can you determine the length of a ski lift that rises 37 degrees to the top of a 7000 foot mountian? SOH CAH TOA!
• In this unit, you’ll learn two helpful methods for solving oblique triangles: the law of cosines, and the law of sines. Suppose two friends stand 100 feet apart, and both see a flying saucer! They can determine the UFO’s position with the law of sines (and SOH CAH TOA).
• With this introduction to trigonometry, you will be able to solve problems involving all kinds of triangles, not just right ones. You’ll understand this rallying cry of mathematicians everywhere:
• SOH CAH TOA!

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