Birrenkott Surveying

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Trig*Star Winner Announced

May 22, 2009

2009 Trig*Star Winner Harry Yang

Dan Birrenkott, Birrenkott Surveying, Inc., is excited to announce that the State of Wisconsin Trig-Star winner is Yexing (Harry) Yang of Sun Prairie High School. Harry placed first in the competition that had 394 students representing 26 schools from all across the state. Harry wrote a perfect test score in 28 minutes, 53 seconds. Second place went to Samuel Greene of Madison West High School who also had a perfect score and a time of 30 minutes, 02 seconds.

Harry won $500 from the Wisconsin Society of Land Surveyors and the Sun Prairie math department will also receive a $500 award from the Wisconsin Society of Land Surveyors. Harry now moves on and competes for the National Title.

Student Name	Score	Time	Place
Harry Yang	100	28:52:39	1st
Dylan Walsh	90	46:44:99	2nd
Nick Powers	80	46:44:67	3rd
Derek Brandt	80	46:01:73	4th
Tyler Beduhn	75	23:07:36	5th
Sara Schmitz	72	26:30:14	6th
Tim Bowling	70	35:09:27	7th

What is Trig*Star? It is a high school mathematics competition based on the practical applications of Trigonometry. Students that participate not only earn awards, but come away with a better understanding of a technical profession such as Land Surveying and Mapping. Professional Surveyors utilize the Trig*Star program to advance communication with the communities they serve.

2009 Trig*Star Winners

The Trig*Star Program builds an awareness of Land Surveying as a profession among mathematically skilled high school students, career guidance counselors, and high school math teachers. Civil Engineering and Land Surveying companies provide professionals who volunteer their time to explain how trigonometry is used to solve Land Surveying and Mapping problems.

2009 Trig*Star

A Trig*Star is a trigonometry student who has demonstrated in competition that he or she is the most superiorly skilled at each high school in the practical application of trigonometry. The winner is the Trig*Star of their high school and depending on their score they may also be declared the State Trig*Star. Besides the state title, the State Trig*Star and their high school math teacher win cash prizes. State Trig*Stars may also compete for the national title and win bigger prizes for both the student and the teacher.

2009 Trig*Star

Trig*Star is a national education and scholarship program supported by the Wisconsin Society of Land Surveyors and the National Society of Professional Surveyors. Contact your local Trig*Star Program Sponsor for additional information.

Example Trig*Star Problem

During the initial planning for a new roadway, a surveyor was asked to layout the straight line "AF" shown in the figure below. However, while laying out line "AF" a dense wooded area along the line of sight was encountered. The surveyor decided to make a few measurements to go around the obstruction. The angles and distances measured by the surveyor are shown in the figure below.

Determine the distance "DE" that the surveyor will need to measure out to get back to the straight line at point "E".

Determine the angle that the surveyor will need to turn at point "E" to get back onto the straight line "AF".

Determine the distance "BE" along the straight line that was bypassed.

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Express distances to the nearest 0.01 Feet and the angle to the nearest second.

Dist. "DE" = _________ Angle at "E" = _________ Dist. "BE" = _________

Follow the link for more information on the Trig*Star Program
http://www.wsls.org/frameSetTrigStar.htm