What is an example of an application of trigonometry in everyday life?

One of the most common applications of trigonometry in everyday life is the use of triangulation to determine the height of buildings, mountains, trees and other very tall or distant objects. Similar trigonometric functions are used to measure distances between points, such as between an ocean-bound ship and land.

Trigonometry is also utilized by architects to calculate the slopes of roofs and to figure out how much weight a structure will be able to bear. In astronomy, the relative locations of celestial bodies are discoverable by means of trigonometric concepts one might have learned in school. Theories that describe the nature of both light and sound are also dependent on trigonometry.