The Laws of Sine can be used with
Oblique triangle
Oblique triangle is a triangle that contains no
right angle.
A
B
C
a
b
c
What we already know
•The interior angles total 180.
•We can’t use the Pythagorean
Theorem. Why not?
•For later, area = ½ bh
•Larger angles are across from
longer sides and vice versa.
•The sum of two smaller sides
must be greater than the third.
A
B
C
ab
c
There are three possible configurations that will enable
us to use the Law of Sines. They are shown below.
ASA
You may have an angle, a
side and then another angle
SAA
You may have a side and
then an angle and then
another angle
SSA
You may have two sides
and then an angle not
between them.
What this means is that you
need to already know an
angle and a side opposite it
(and one other side or angle)
to use the Law of Sines.
You don’t have an angle and side opposite it here but can easily find
the angle opposite the side you know since the sum of the angles in a
triangle must be 180°.
General Process for Law Of
Sines
1.Except for the ASA triangle, you will always
have enough information for 1 full fraction and
half of another. Start with that to find a fourth
piece of data.
2.Once you know 2 angles, you can subtract
from 180 to find the 3
rd
.
3.To avoid rounding error, use given data
instead of computed data whenever possible.
Use Law of SINES when ...
•AAS - 2 angles and 1 adjacent side
•ASA - 2 angles and their included side
•ASS – (SOMETIMES) 2 sides and their adjacent angle
…you have 3 parts of a triangle and you need to find the other
3 parts.
They cannot be just ANY 3 dimensions though, or you won’t
have enough info to solve the Law of Sines equation.
Use the Law of Sines if you are given:
Draw a perpendicular line
and call the length h. We do
this so that we have a right
triangle which we already
know how to work with.
h
a
b
c
Let’s write some trig functions we know from the right
triangles formed.
c
h
sin
a
h
sin
Solve these for h
hc sin ha sin
Since these both = h
we can substitute
sinsinac
divide both sides by ac
ac ac ca
sinsin
The Laws of Sines
A
B
C
a
b
c
C
c
B
b
A
a
sinsinsin
Using the Law of Sines
Given: How do you find angle B?
a
A
B
C
c
b
a
Bm
Cm
Am
6.21
7.16
4.102
b
c
Using the Law of Sines
Given: How do you find side b?
a
A
B
C
c
b
a
Bm
Cm
Am
6.21
9.60
7.16
4.102
b
c
Using the Law of Sines
Given: How do you find side b?
a
A
B
C
c
b
a
Bm
Cm
Am
6.21
9.60
7.16
4.102
9.60sin4.102sin
6.21 b
b
c
Using the Law of Sines
Given: How do you find side b?
a
A
B
C
3.19
7.102sin
9.60sin6.21
9.60sin4.102sin
6.21
b
b
b
c
b
a
Bm
Cm
Am
3.19
6.21
9.60
7.16
4.102
b
c
Using the Law of Sines
Given: How do you find side c?
a
A
B
C
c
b
a
Bm
Cm
Am
3.19
6.21
9.60
7.16
4.102
7.16sin4.102sin
6.21 c
b
c
Using the Law of Sines
Given: How do you find side c?
a
A
B
C
c
b
a
Bm
Cm
Am
3.19
6.21
9.60
7.16
4.102
36.6
4.102sin
7.16sin6.21
7.16sin4.102sin
6.21
c
c
c
b
c
The Ambiguous Case
Look at this triangle.
If we look at where angle A
Is Acute
A B
C
b a
h
Abh sin
The Ambiguous Case
Look at this triangle.
If we look at
If a = h, then there is one triangle
A B
C
b
ah
Abh sin
The Ambiguous Case
Look at this triangle.
If we look at
If a < h, then there is no triangle
A B
C
b
a
h
Abh sin
The Ambiguous Case
Look at this triangle.
If we look at
If a > b, then there is one triangle
A B
C
b a
h
Abh sin
The Ambiguous Case
Look at this triangle.
If we look at
If h< a <b, then there is two triangles
A B
C
b a
h
Abh sin
'B
The Ambiguous Case
Do you remember the Hinge Theorem from
Geometry.
Given two sides and one angle, two different
triangles can be made.
http://mrself.weebly.com/5-5-the-hinge-theorem.html
15
1511
11
42 42
The Ambiguous Case
Where Angle A is Obtuse.
If a ≤ b, there is no
triangle
A
a
b
The Ambiguous Case
Where Angle A is Obtuse.
If a > b, there is one
triangle
A
a
b
Area of an Oblique triangle
Using two sides and an Angle.
SinBacArea
SinCabArea
SinAbcArea
2
1
2
1
2
1
Find the missing Angles and Sides
Given: 5,8,36 baA
Find the missing Angles and Sides
Given:
5.122
1805.2136
C
C
5,85.122,5.21,36 baCBA
Find the missing Angles and Sides
Given: 5,85.122,5.21,36 baCBA
48.11
36
5.1228
36
8
5.122
c
Sin
Sin
c
SinSin
c