What Do You Mean by Height and Distances?

The most significant definitions that are used when dealing with heights and distances are given as:

Line of sight: It is the line drawn from the eye of an observer to the point in the object viewed by the observer.

Here, the cat is the observer and the object is the bird.

The angle of elevation: The angle between the horizontal and the line of sight joining an observation point to an elevated object.

In the following figure, the angle of elevation of the kite from the point AA is 30∘30∘, and from point BB is 60∘60∘

The angle of depression: The angle between the horizontal and the line of sight joining an observation point to an object below the horizontal level.

In the following figure, if the top of the building is our observation point, then the angle of depression of person XX is 45∘45∘, and that of person YY  is 60∘60∘.

Let us now experience how trigonometry is applied to practical situations.