Sine Rule and Cosine

Rule

Name : Passant Mohsen

We use the Sine Rule when:

We have two angles and a side

OR

We have two sides and the non-included

angle (this is the ambiguous case)
 The sine Rule
The Sine Rule can be used for any triangle:

The sides are labelled to match b a

their opposite angles

A B
c

a b c
The Sine Rule: = =
sinA sinB sinC
Example: A Given
Angle ABC =600
c b 7cm Angle ACB = 500

Find c.
B C

To find c use the following proportion:

c b

sin C sin B
c 7
0

sin 50 sin 60 0
7 x sin 50 0
c
sin 60 0

c= 6.19
Example: In  BAC AC  6cm,
BC  15cm and  A  120 0
Find B
C
SOLUTION:

sin B sin A
 6
b a cm 15 cm
sin B sin 120 0 1200
 A
6 15
6 x sin 60 0
sin B 
15
B
sin B = 0.346

B= 20.30
We use the Cosine Rule when:

Two sides and the INCLUDED

angle (SAS)
OR

All three sides (SSS)

 The Cosine Rule
A

c b

B C
B a C

(One side)2
=
(other side)2+(last side)2
-
2(other side)(last side)cos(angle of 1st side)
Example:
Find the unknown side in the triangle below:

5m L
Identify sides a,b,c and
43o angle Ao
b c
12m

a= L b= 5 c =12 Ao = 43o

a2 = b2 + c2 -2bccosAo

a2 = 52 + 122 - 2 x 5 x 12 cos 43o

a2 = 25 + 144 - (120 x 0.731 )

a2 = 81.28 Square root to find “a”.

a = 9.02m
Example: Find the length
of side M.
17.5 m
137o
12.2 m

a=M b = 12.2 C = 17.5 Ao = 137o

a2 = b2 + c2 -2bc cosAo

a2 = 12.22 + 17.52 – ( 2 x 12.2 x 17.5 x cos 137o )

Notice the two

negative signs.
a2 = 455.09 + 312.137

a2 = 767.227

a = 27.7m
Thank you