THE LAW

OF SINES
IV-Sobriety
Janelle Ong 18
Lexandra Ty 33
Angelle Uy 34
 THE LAW OF SINES

Angle Side Angle (ASA)

IS USED TO SOLVE THE FOLLOWING CASES:

Angle Angle Side (AAS)

Side Side Angle (SSA)
For any ABC with angle
measures A, B, C and sides of
length a, b, c,

a b c
sin A sin B sin C
CONDITIONS:
CHECK THE GIVEN SIDES FIRST BEFORE APPLYING THE LAW OF SINE:
Known as height
(h)
o If A is an acute angle and if a <b
a) Two triangles are formed if a > b sinA (2 solution)
b) One triangle is formed if a = b sinA (1 solution)
c) No triangle is formed if a < b sinA (no solution)

o If A is an acute angle and if a >b

a) There is exactly one triangle formed (1 solution)

o If A is an obtuse or right angle:

a) One triangle is formed if a>b (1 solution)
b) No triangle is formed if a = b (no solution)
c) No triangle is formed if a < b (no solution)
EXERCISE 1: DETERMINE HOW MANY
TRIANGLES ARE FORMED GIVEN THE
FOLLOWING CONDITIONS:
1. a = 5; b= 10; A=30° 1 solution
2. a = 23; b= 8; sinA= 0.6259° 2 solutions
3. a = 4; b= 4; A=60° 1 solution
4. a = 8; b= 8; A=45° 1 solution
5. a = 2; b= 10; A=120° no solution
6. a = 3; b= 5; A=90° no solution
7. a = 10; b= 5; A=270° 1 solution
8. a = 13; b= 12; A=210° 1 solution
REMEMBER: WHEN FINDING AN AREA OF A
TRIANGLE…
 You can use the K formula when the given is SSA:

 K=1/2bcsinA
 K=1/2acsinB
 K=1/2absinC
Example:
If the area of triangle ABC is 21 square units, find sin A if b = 14 and c
= 9:

K=1/2acsinA
21=1/2(14)(9)sinA
21=63sinA
63

sinA=.3333
EXERCISE 2
 Find b & C, if A=15°, B=135°, a=4.
(without using a calculator! Use special right triangles and identities)

STEP 1:

Visualize/illustrate the given:

135°
c
a= 4

α 15°
C A
b=?
STEP 2:
 Solve the easiest. In this case (A & B are both given),
angle C is the easiest to solve because:

m A+ m B+ m C=180°

Therefore:
C=180°- (A + B)
C=180° - (15° + 135°)

Answer: C=30°
STEP 3:
 Find b. (Given a=4, A=15°, B=135°)
a b
sinA sinB

4 b
sin15° sin135°

4 b
sin(45°-30°) sin(45° + 90°)
*USE DIFFERENCE IDENTITIES!
SIN (X-Y)=SINXCOSY – COSXSINY
SOLVE: SIN(45°-30°)
sin45°cos30°-cos45°sin30°

√2 √3 √2 1
2 2 2 2

√6 - √2
4
 *USE SUM IDENTITIES!
SIN (X+Y)=SINXCOSY + COSXSINY
SOLVE: SIN(45°+90°)

sin45°cos90°+cos45°sin90°

√2 0 √2 1
2 0 2
1

√2
2
-THE END-