How is trigonometry used in geography?

Answer 1

Extensively finding out how far away something is from something else --------

Trigonometry is used extensively in calculations involving Cartesian coordinates. Cartesian coordinates can be used to represent a map with North, South, East and West directions. For example, vectors, or directions can be expressed using trigonometry. Let's say you want to find a location that is three miles east of one known location that is one mile south of where you are right now. How far is your destination from where you are now? Trigonometry not only tells you the answer, it can tell you what direction to take with a compass to get there on a straight line. Your destination is sqrt(10) miles away, at a heading of tan(3) degrees east of due south or cot(3) degrees south of due east. Trig can also be used to calculate the distance an object is if you know what height it is, or you can calculate the height of an object if you know how far it is and have a tool to make line-of-sight measurements of angles, such as a sextant.

Answer 2

trigonometry can be used in many different fields. In geography, it can be useful for determining distances between locations, or heights of things like mountains and plateaus, as well as many other applications.

Answer 3

Trilateration:

This is one of the methods used to calculate the position of the receiver.

The satelite broadcasts the time (very accurately), ephemeris and almanac - the receiver uses this (with what it "knows" about the speed of light and the dippler affect) to calculate a distance to the satelite (and other satrelites it hears from).

Then trilateration is used to locate the position given all this data.

Answer 4

Cartography (map drawing) was based on trigonometry.