Law of Sines

The Law of Sines

The law of sines states that the ratio of the sine of an angle to the length of its opposite side is the
same for all three angles of any triangle.

Solving Triangles (AAS, ASA)

We can use the law of sines to solve triangles given two angles and a side.

96° sin(36) = sin(48) sin(36) = sin(96)

8 b 8 c
8sin(48)=bsin(36) 8sin(96)=csin(36)
b=10.11 c=13.54

Directions: Solve the triangles.

1. 2. 3.
45°
75° 59°

sin(45) = sin(60) sin(120) = sin(15)

17 b sin(40) = sin(81)
3.7 a 92 a
3.7sin(60)=asin(45) 17sin(15)=bsin(120)
b=5.08 92sin(81)=asin(40)
a=4.53 a=141.36
sin(120) = sin(45)
sin(45) = sin(75) 17 a sin(40) = sin(59)
3.7 c 17sin(45)=asin(120) 92 c
3.7sin(75)=csin(45) a=13.88 92sin(59)=csin(40)
c=5.05 c=122.63
4. 5. 6.
10 110° 68° 4 46 103° sin(103) = sin(β)
50° 62° 61 46
40° 30° 61 46sin(103)=61sin(β)
sin(50) = sin(62) β=47.29°
sin(30) = sin(40) 4 b
10 a 4sin(62)=bsin(50) sin(103) = sin(29.71)
10sin(40)=asin(30) b=4.61 61 a
a=12.56 sin(50) = sin(68) 61sin(29.71)=asin(103)
sin(30) = sin(110) 4 c a=31.03
10 c 4sin(68)=csin(50)
10sin(110)=csin(30) c=4.84 α=29.71
c=18.79
7. 8. Can the triangle be solved 9.
14 sin(70) = sin(c) using the Law of Sines? Explain.
14 9
70° 14sin(c)=9sin(70)
9 c=37.16°
sin(70) = sin(72.84) no the triangle cannot be 19° 21°
9 a solved using the law of sines
9sin(72.84)=asin(70) because the value of the side x=h/tan(19)
a=9.15 corresponding angle given, is tan(21)=h/600-x
600-h/tan(19)=h/tan(21)
not given. we only one side h=600/(1/tan(19))+(1/tan(21))
angle side. h=108.91ft
α=72.84