A navigation system calculates the direction of two aircraft. Aircraft A climbs at an angle where sin θ = 3/5 and is heading NE (1st quadrant). Aircraft B descends with cos φ = -5/13 and is heading SW (3rd quadrant). Determine sin(θ + φ), the resultant elevation angle from the origin.
- AOption (a)
-24/65
- BOption (b)
56/65
- COption (c)
36/65
- DOption (d)
-63/65
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Correct answer
-63/65
Why this answer is correct
Shortcut Trick
Identify Pythagorean Triplets and Quadrants:
For θ (Q1): sin θ = 3/5 → (3, 4, 5) triplet ⇒ cos θ = 4/5 (positive in Q1).
For φ (Q3): cos φ = −5/13 → (5, 12, 13) triplet ⇒ sin φ = −12/13 (negative in Q3).
Apply expansion: sin(θ + φ) = sin θ cos φ + cos θ sin φ = (3/5 × −5/13) + (4/5 × −12/13) = −15/65 − 48/65 = −63/65.
∴ The correct answer is −63/65.
Alternate Method
Given: sin θ = 3/5 (1st Quadrant), cos φ = −5/13 (3rd Quadrant).
Formula: sin(A + B) = sin A cos B + cos A sin B
Step 1: Calculate cos θ and sin φ
⇒ In 1st Quadrant (Aircraft A): All ratios are positive.
⇒ cos θ = √(1 − sin2θ) = √(1 − (3/5)2) = √(1 − 9/25) = √(16/25) = 4/5.
⇒ In 3rd Quadrant (Aircraft B): sin and cos are negative.
⇒ sin φ = −√(1 − cos2φ) = −√(1 − (−5/13)2) = −√(1 − 25/169) = −√(144/169) = −12/13.
Step 2: Substitute in Addition Formula
⇒ sin(θ + φ) = (sin θ × cos φ) + (cos θ × sin φ)
⇒ sin(θ + φ) = (3/5 × −5/13) + (4/5 × −12/13)
⇒ sin(θ + φ) = (−15/65) + (−48/65)
⇒ sin(θ + φ) = −63/65.
∴ The correct answer is −63/65.
Additional Information
Trigonometric Signs (ASTC Rule)
Quadrant 1: All positive | Quadrant 2: sin positive | Quadrant 3: tan positive | Quadrant 4: cos positive.
Compound Angle Formulas
sin(A ± B) = sin A cos B ± cos A sin B | cos(A ± B) = cos A cos B ∓ sin A sin B.
Standard Pythagorean Triplets
Common integer sides for right triangles: (3, 4, 5), (5, 12, 13), (7, 24, 25), (8, 15, 17), and (9, 40, 41).