Home / IB Mathematics SL 3.3 Applications of trigonometry AA SL Paper 2- Exam Style Questions

IB Mathematics SL 3.3 Applications of trigonometry AA SL Paper 2- Exam Style Questions

IB Mathematics SL 3.3 Applications of trigonometry AA SL Paper 2- Exam Style Questions- New Syllabus

Question

A monument is in the shape of a right cone with a vertical height of 20 meters. Oliver stands 5 meters from the base of the monument. His eye level is 1.8 metres above the ground, and the angle of elevation from Oliver’s eye level to the vertex of the cone is 58°, as shown on the following diagram.

(a) Find the radius of the base of the cone.

(b) Find the volume of the monument.

▶️ Answer/Explanation
Markscheme

(a) The radius of the base of the cone is approximately 6.37 m (M1A1A1A1A1A1, N6).

Working:
Vertical distance from eye level to vertex = 20 – 1.8 = 18.2 m (M1).
Horizontal distance from Oliver to center = 5 + r (A1).
Tangent relation: \( \tan 58^\circ = \frac{18.2}{5 + r} \) (A1).
\( \tan 58^\circ \approx 1.6003 \) (A1).
Solve: \( 5 + r = \frac{18.2}{1.6003} \approx 11.3726 \), \( r \approx 11.3726 – 5 \approx 6.3726 \) (A1).
Rounded to two decimal places: \( r \approx 6.37 \text{ m} \) (A1).

[6 marks]

(b) The volume of the monument is approximately 851 m³ (M1A1A1A1A1A1, N6).

Working:
Volume formula: \( V = \frac{1}{3} \times \pi \times r^2 \times h \) (M1).
Height \( h = 20 \text{ m} \), radius \( r \approx 6.3726 \text{ m} \) (A1).
\( r^2 \approx (6.3726)^2 \approx 40.6096 \) (A1).
\( V \approx \frac{1}{3} \times 40.6096 \times 20 \times \pi \), \( \frac{20}{3} \approx 6.6667 \) (A1).
\( V \approx 6.6667 \times 40.6096 \times 3.1416 \approx 850.540 \) (A1).
Rounded to nearest cubic meter: \( 851 \text{ m}^3 \) (A1).

[6 marks]

Total [12 marks]

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