Area of a triangle (~ab smn C)

Consider the triangle ABC below, labelled with the usual angle and side convention.
A The area of the triangle = t X base X perpendicular height

=t X aXh
= ta(b sin C)
( L -_ _....1.....1..-_ _ _ _-">.. B
X a
So the area of any triangle = tab sin C
Key Point
Simpler to recall is perhaps:
Area of D. = tab sin C
fuea = half the product of two sides X sine of the included angle'

Example 1
(
Find the area of the triangle ABC.
Area = tab sin C
=t X ll.s X 7.3 X sin 1l0° B

= 39.4cm2 (3 s.f.)

Exercise 205
1 Find the area of triangle ABC. 2 Find the area of triangle XYZ.
( z

y
A

x
3 Find the area of triangle PQR. 4 Find the area of triangle LMN.
L

5 Find the area of the triangle ABC if AB = 15 cm, BC = 21 cm and B = 130 0 •

6 Find the area of the triangle XYZ if XY = 10 cm, yz = 17 cm and Y = 65 0
•
Exercise 205*
1 Find the area of an equilateral triangle of side 2 a cm.
2 Find the side length of an equilateral triangle of area 1000 cm2 •
3 Find side length a if the area of triangle ABC is 75 cm2 •
A

~200ccmm
B
/ a
~ C

4 Find the angle ABC if the area of the isosceles triangle is 100 cm2 •
A

BL------...l.C

5 Find the area of triangle ABC.

A

6 Find the perimeter of triangle ABC if its area is 200 cm2 .

A

Practical problems in 3D
Place one end of a pencil B on a flat surface and put
your ruler against the other end T as shown. T
The angle TEA is the angle between the straight line TE
and the plane WXYZ.

z y
Key Point Example 2
• Draw clear, large 3D A
ABCDEFGH is a rectangular box.
diagrams including all
the facts. Find to 3 significant figures D~-+----------~~
Scm
• Redrawthe a lengthEG
appropriate triangle b length CE E"""=:---_ _ _~_J F
(usually right-angled) c the angle CE makes with plane EFGH (angle CEG).
including all the H 10em
facts. This simplifies a Draw triangle EGH in 2D.
a 3D problem into
Pythagoras' Theorem
a 2D problem using
EG2 = 3 2 + 102
Pythagoras' Theorem
and trigonometry to = 109
solve for angles and EG = n09
lengths. EG = lOA cm (3s.f.)
b Draw triangle CEG in 2D.
c Pythagoras'Theorem
CE 2 = 52 + 109
Scm = 134
CE =)134
E~~~~~~--~~ G CE = 11.6 cm (3 s.f.)
v'10gem
C Let angle CEG = e
5
tan e = )109 =} e = angle CEG = 25.6° (3 s.f.)

Exercise 206
Give all answers to 3 significant figures. B

1 ABCDEFGH is a rectangular box.

D
Find: C
Bem
a EG
b AG E F
c the angle between AG and plane
EFGH (angle AGE).
H 11 em G

2 STUVWXYZ is a rectangular box. T

Find:
a SU
b SY v~--++--¥"
c the angle between SY and plane
STUV (angleYSU).

21 em
;'---H--~ X

z 11 em
3 LMNOPQRS is a cube of side 10 cm.
;r----~M
Find:
a PR
b LR 0 f---t-->r--r
c the angle between LR and plane PQRS
(angle LRP). lOcm Q

lOcm

.,., ABCDEFGH is a cube of side 20 cm. B

Find:
a CF D
b DF
c the angle between DF and plane BCGF
20cm F
(angleDFC)
d the angle MHA, if M is the mid-point of AB.
H 20cm G

5 ABCDEF is a small ramp where ABCD and E

CDEF are both rectangles and perpendicular
to each other.
Find: A<E-----~

a AC F

bAP
c angleFAB
"""-----~c
d the angle between AF and plane ABCD (angle FAC). 2m

6 PQRSTU is an artificial ski-slope where T

PQRS and RSTU are both rectangles and
perpendicular to each other.
Find: p ~-------'-~
aUP
b PR u
c the angle between UP and plane PQRS 60m
(angle UPR)
~~----~~R
d the angle between MP and plane PQRS,
if M is the mid-point of TD.

7 ABCD is a solid on a horizontal triangular base D

ABC. Edge AD is 25 cm and vertical. AB is
perpendicular to AC. Angles ABD and ACD are
equal to 30° and 20 respectively.
0

Find: r--;-------I.-"-'--...,:;.s
aAB
b AC
c BC.

c
8 PQRS is a solid on a horizontal triangular 5
base PQR. S is vertically above P. Edges PQ
and PR are 50 em and 70 em respectively.
}-f----'-.=.::...-~ Q
PQ is perpendicular to PRo Angle SQP is 30°.
Find:
a SP
b RS
c anglePRS. R

Example 3
VWXYZ is a solid regular pyramid on a rectangular v
base WXYZ where WX = 8 em and XY = 6 em
The vertex of the pyramid V is 12 em directly above
the centre of the base.
~----\----~ y
Find:
aVX
b the angle between VX and the base WXYZ w L-----------~
Bcm x
(angle VXZ)
c the area of pyramid face VWX.
a Let M be the mid-point ZX.
Draw WXYZ in 2D.
Pythagoras' Theorem on triangle ZWX:
ZX2 = 6 2 + 8 2
= 100
ZX = 10 em ~ MX = 5 em
Draw triangle VMX in 2D. Pythagoras' Theorem on triangle VMX: v
VX 2 = 52 + 122
= 169
VX= 13 em
bAngle VXZ = Angle VXM = e 12cm

tan e = 15 ~ e = 67.4° (3 sJ.)

2

~ Angle VXZ = 67.4° (3 sJ.)

c Let N be the mid-point of WX. '--'-----.... x

i
Area of triangle VWX = X base x perpendicular height
=iXWXXVN
=i X 8XVN
v
Draw triangle VNX in 2D.
Pythagoras' Theorem on triangle VNX:
= 4 2 + vW
13 2
VN2 = 13 2 - 4 2

= 153
VN = h 5 3 ~ Area of VWX = i X 8 X y' 15 3
NL......I...---..... X
= 49.5 em2 (3 sJ.)
Exercise 206*
1 PABCD is a solid regular pyramid on a rectangular p
base ABCD where AB = 10 cm and BC = 7 cm.
The vertex of the pyramid, P, is 15 cm directly
above the centre of the base.
Find: /------\---~~ C

a PA
b the angle between PA and base ABCD A~--------v
10cm B
(angle PAC)
c the area of pyramid face PBC.

2 PQRST is a solid regular pyramid on a square base p

QRST where QR = 20 cm and edge PQ = 30 cm.
Find:
a the height of P above base QRST
b the angle PS makes with the base QRST ~--~---~ s
c the total external area of the pyramid including
the base. QL-_ _ _ _ _ _ ~

20cm R

3 STUVWXYZ is a rectangular box. M T

M and N are the mid-points of
ST and WZ respectively. v ~-+------.r.
u
Find angle:
a SYW 10cm
~W~_ _ _ _ _~~ X
b TNX
N
c ZMY.
z 16cm y

4 ABCDEFGH is a solid cube of volume 1728 cm 3 •

P and Q are the mid-points of FG and GH respectively.
Find:
a angle QCP D ;C-----I'-~

b the total surface area of the solid remaining after

pyramid PGQC is cut off.

H Q G

5 A church is made from two solid rectangular v

blocks with a regular pyramidal roof above the
tower, with V being 40 m above ground level.
Find:
A~--r
a VA
b the angle of elevation of V from E ~_ _ _ _ _ _..,;F
c the cost of tiling the tower roof if the church
is charged €2SO/m 2 • 30m 18m

E
20m
B 10m C 30m D
 6 A hemisphericallampshade of diameter 40 cm is hung from a point by
four chains, each of length 50 cm. If the chains are equally spaced on
the rim of the hemisphere, find:
a the angle each chain makes with the horizontal
b the angle between two adjacent chains.

7 The angle of elevation to the top of a church tower is measured from A and from B
Church

A
-....East
From A, due South of the church towerVC, the angle of elevation LVAC = 15°.
FromB, due East of the church, the angle of elevation L VBC = 25°. AB = 200m.
Find th e height of the tower.
T
8 An aircraft is flying at a constant height
of 2000 m. It is flying due East at a constant
speed. At T, the plane's angle of elevation
from 0 is 25 0, and on a bearing from 0 of West
T.
310°. One minute later, it is at R and due --
North of O.
RSWT is a rectangle and the points 0, W
and S are on horizontal ground.
Find:
a the lengths OW and OS
b the angle of elevation of the aircraft, L ROS
c the speed of the aircraft in km/h.

Area of a segment
Remember The circle segment (shaded) = Area of sector OAB
- Area of triangle OAB
Area 0f ~ = l ab sin C
= _8_ X 'TTr2 - 1. X r sin 8
360 2
o

A
"
 Example 4
Find the area of the shaded segment.
Area = Area of sector DAB - Area of triangle DAB
= 360
100 X 'IT X 10 2 _l2 X 10 2 X sin(lOOO)
= 38.0cm2 (3 s.f.)

Exercise 207
In Questions 1- 6, find the area of the shaded segment.
Give answers to 3 s.f.

2,//--::)~
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ExampleS
Given the shaded segment area is 500 em2 , find the
value of r.
Shaded area = Area of sector DAB - Area of triangle DAB
500 = 360
140 X r2 - l2 X r2 X sin (140°)
'IT

= r (Z8 X 'IT - X sin (140°) )

2
t ,B
•,
= r2 (0.900337 ... ) A: _~_ ~_~_ I
I
500 =r I r
o I
I

(0.900337 ... ) I
I ,
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\
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555.348 ... = r2 ~ r = 23.6 em (3 s.f.) ,,
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,,
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" ~~~
Exercise 207*
In Questions 1-4, find the radius of the circle.
Give answers to 3 s.f.

,~
1 2 ...... ,,'<to
I
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, , , ,,
",
" ,I
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\ \

" r " , \
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,,
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0

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............. ---- ........ .,.,~ ........ ' "

Shaded segment = 10 cm2 Shaded segment = 100 cm2

3 4

Shaded segment = 400 cm2 Shaded segment = 200 cm2

5 6 .... ",
..,
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\
,,
o I
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.... I

The shaded segment represents a cross- The shaded segment shows

section of a pipe full of water flowing at a cross-section of a pipe with
10 cm/s. How much water flows through some rainwater flowing at 4 cmls
the pipe in 1 hour? into the empty cylindrical tank
(Answer in m 3 in standard form shown in the diagram.
to 3 s.f.) What is the depth in
em of water in the
1
tank after 1 hour?
2m

j -- -------- ....

-lm-
Exercise 208 (Revision)
y
1 Find the area t-,XYZ.

z
2 Copy this diagram. It shows a pyramid on a square v
base, where V is vertically above the centre of ABCD.
Calculate
a the length AC
b the height of the pyramid h--+-------~ C
c the angle that VC makes with BC
d the angle that VC makes with ABCD.
A 30cm

3 Copy this diagram of a ski slope and include these facts:

DE = 300 m, AD = 400 m, CE = 100 m. Find
a the angle that CD makes with ADEF ,
I
I
bAE
(~-- .----- .. -. E
c the angle that CA makes with ADEF. "

A o
4 Find the area of each triangle ABC.
a A~________________-i3 b A

12m

~.-L--::---- B
c c 20m

5 ABCDEFGH is a rectangular box. Find

a FH
b BH Af--.;...--"o:-----r
14cm
c angleBHF
d the angle between plane ABGH and plane EFGH. G

E 20cm H
6 Find the area of the shaded segment.
Give answers to 3 s.f.
b

,,
,
' .........
.... _---_ ...
E1f131"(
1 A cuboid is a metres long, b metres wide and c metres high.
,- " - -::-;;--.,,.
Show that the length of the longest diagonal is given by ,; a2 + b2 + c2 •
2 Find the area of 6XYZ.

y
C7Z 6m

3 A doll's house has a horizontal square base ABCD

and V is vertically above the centre of the base.
Calculate
a the length AC E
b the height of V above ABCD
c the angle VB makes with the horizontal
j
8Dem
d the total volume.

. .. ·0- --------.:;/c
1
•••••• :;..---- SOcm
A B

4 A cube of side 8 cm stands on a horizontal table. A hollow cone of height 20 cm is placed

over the cube so that it rests on the table and touches the top four corners of the cube.

_--xem--_

a Show that x = 8 fl cm. b Find the vertical angle of the cone.

5 Find the perimeter of triangle ABC if its area is 250 m 2 A

'~
and angle A is greater than 90°.

c B

6 VABCD is a right-pyramid on a square base. Find v

a the length AC
b the pyramid's height
c angleAVB
d the angle between plane AVB and base ABCD
e the total surface area of the pyramid including its base.
 ,,-
7 The shaded segment area:= 00 em2 •
find r to .r. , ,
/""

,,
, I

,,
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\
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I

,,
I

,,
- ,' "

8 The shaded segOl nt how a eros -section of a ,,-""'- ----',---,

p~pe carrying orne rainwa er Uowing a ;c emJ into an ,, ,
I \
empty c lindrical tarn shown . I \

,,
I \
\

If th tank is full after 1 hour fmd x. , 0

\
\
Rain water
:\ 10cm ,
".~,
130' -',
:
'
\ """ ,
------------------

1 1~
1.8m

1~
-lm-