Inclinometers

As a practical matter, the data obtained for calcuations in trigonometry involve measurements of angles and distances. A very accurate way to measure angles is with a transit, as illustrated in the video below. But a less accurate instrument can easily be constructed by hand, and it is useful for many applications.

Print out the sheet of paper and follow the instructions on it. It provides a template and instructions for building an inclinometer, useful for measuring angles of elevation.

inclinometer.pdf

Here is the inclinometer showing an angle of elevation of about 20 degrees.

Try it out on simple problem or two (What is the height of the flagpole in front of your school? What is the height of a nearby radio tower? Verify the regulation height for the basketball rim in the gym.) Then try it for a two-angle calculation similar to the one illustrated in the video.

This may become one of the labs in a future version of the trig course, but for now, I would appreciate it if you post a note in eCampus in your school discussion group telling me what calculation you tried, and how well the inclinometer works.

Download video, if flash version above doesn't work. YouTube