Solving ASA Triangles

"ASA" means "Angle, Side, Angle"

"ASA" is when we know two angles and a

side between the angles.

To solve an ASA Triangle

find the third angle using the three angles add to 180

then use The Law of Sines to find each of the other two sides.

Example 1

In this triangle we know:

angle A = 76

angle B = 34

and c = 9

It's easy to find angle C by using 'angles of a triangle add to 180':

So C = 180 76 34 = 70
We can now find side a by using The Law of Sines:
a/sinA = c/sin C
a/sin76 = 9/sin70
a = (9 sin76)/sin70
a = 9.29 to 2 decimal places
Similarly we can find side b by using The Law of Sines:
b/sinB = c/sin C
b/sin34 = 9/sin70
b = (9 sin34)/sin70
b = 5.36 to 2 decimal places
Now we have completely solved the triangle i.e. we have found all its angles and sides.

Example 2

This is also an ASA triangle.

First find angle X by using 'angles of a triangle add to 180':

X = 180 87 42 = 51
Now find side y by using The Law of Sines:
y/sinY = x/sin X
y/sin(87) = 18.9/sin(51)
y = (18.9 sin(87))/sin(51)
y = 24.29 to 2 decimal places.
Similarly we can find z by using The Law of Sines:
z/sinZ = x/sin X
z/sin(42) = 18.9/sin(51)
a = (18.9 sin(42))/sin(51)
a = 16.27 to 2 decimal places.