Solving Triangles

"Solving" means finding missing sides and angles.

Source : https://www.mathsisfun.com/algebra/trig-solving-sas-triangles.html

Six Different Types

If you need to solve a triangle right now choose one of the six options below:

Which Sides or Angles do you know already? (Click on the image or

link)

... or read on to find out how you can become an expert triangle solver:
 Solving AAA Triangles
"AAA" means "Angle, Angle, Angle"

AAA triangles are impossible to solve further since there is nothing to show
us size ... we know the shape but not how big it is.
We need to know at least one side to get any further ... that's life!
 Solving AAS Triangles
"AAS" means "Angle, Angle, Side"

To solve an AAS triangle

 use the three angles add to 180° to find the other angle
 then The Law of Sines to find each of the other two sides.
EXAMPLE 1

In this triangle we know:

 angle A = 35°
 angle C = 62°
 and side c = 7
It's easy to find angle B by using 'angles of a triangle add to 180°':
B = 180° − 35° − 62° = 83°
We can also find side a by using The Law of Sines:
a/sin A = c/sin C
a/sin(35°) = 7/sin(62°)
a = (7 × sin(35°))/sin(62°)
a = 4.55 to 2 decimal places

Also we can find b by using The Law of Sines:

b/sin B = c/sin C
b/sin(83°) = 7/sin(62°)
 b = (7 × sin(83°))/sin(62°)
b = 7.87 to 2 decimal places
Now we have completely solved the triangle!
Did you notice that we used b/sin B = c/sin C rather than b/sin B = a/sin
A for the last calculation?
There's a good reason for that. What if we made a mistake when finding a?
Then our answer for b would also be wrong!
As a rule, it is always better to use the sides and angles that are given
rather than ones we've just worked out.

EXAMPLE 2

This is also an AAS triangle.

First find angle A by using 'angles of a triangle add to 180°':
A = 180° − 41° − 105° = 34°

Now find side c by using The Law of Sines:

c/sin C = b/sin B
c/sin(41°) = 12.6/sin(105°)
c = (12.6 × sin(41°))/sin(105°)
c = 8.56 to 2 decimal places
Similarly we can find side a by using The Law of Sines and using the given side
b = 12.6 rather than c that we just worked out:
a/sin A = b/sin B
a/sin(34°) = 12.6/sin(105°)
a = (12.6 × sin(34°))/sin(105°)
a = 7.29 to 2 decimal places
Done!
 Solving ASA Triangles
"ASA" means "Angle, Side, Angle"

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/sin70°) × sin76°
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/sin70°) × sin34°
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(51°)) × sin(87°)
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°)
z = (18.9/sin(51°)) × sin(42°)
z = 16.27 to 2 decimal places.
 Solving SAS Triangles
"SAS" means "Side, Angle, Side"

To solve an SAS triangle

 use The Law of Cosines to calculate the unknown side,
 then use The Law of Sines to find the smaller of the other two angles,
 and then use the three angles add to 180° to find the last angle.
EXAMPLE 1

In this triangle we know:

 angle A = 49°
 b=5
 and c = 7
To solve the triangle we need to find side a and angles B and C.
Use The Law of Cosines to find side a first:

a2 = b2 + c2 − 2bc cosA
a2 = 52 + 72 − 2 × 5 × 7 × cos(49°)
a2 = 25 + 49 − 70 × cos(49°)
a2 = 74 − 70 × 0.6560...
a2 = 74 − 45.924... = 28.075...
a = √28.075...
a = 5.298...
a = 5.30 to 2 decimal places
Now we use the The Law of Sines to find the smaller of the other two angles.
Why the smaller angle? Because the inverse sine function gives answers less
than 90° even for angles greater than 90°. By choosing the smaller angle (a
triangle won't have two angles greater than 90°) we avoid that problem. Note:
the smaller angle is the one facing the shorter side.
Choose angle B:

sin B / b = sin A / a
sin B / 5 = sin(49°) / 5.298...
Did you notice that we didn't use a = 5.30. That number is rounded to 2
decimal places. It's much better to use the unrounded number 5.298... which
should still be on our calculator from the last calculation.
sin B = (sin(49°) × 5) / 5.298...
sin B = 0.7122...
B = sin−1(0.7122...)
B = 45.4° to one decimal place
Now we find angle C, which is easy using 'angles of a triangle add to 180°':
C = 180° − 49° − 45.4°
C = 85.6° to one decimal place
Now we have completely solved the triangle i.e. we have found all its angles
and sides.
EXAMPLE 2

This is also an SAS triangle.

First of all we will find r using The Law of Cosines:

r2 = p2 + q2 − 2pq cos R
r2 = 6.92 + 2.62 − 2 × 6.9 × 2.6 × cos(117°)
r2 = 47.61 + 6.76 − 35.88 × cos(117°)
r2 = 54.37 − 35.88 × (−0.4539...)
r2 = 54.37 + 16.289... = 70.659...
r = √70.659...
r = 8.405... = 8.41 to 2 decimal places
Now for The Law of Sines.
Choose the smaller angle? We don't have to! Angle R is greater than 90°, so
angles P and Q must be less than 90°.

sin P / p = sin R / r
sin P / 6.9 = sin(117°) / 8.405...
sin P = ( sin(117°) × 6.9 ) / 8.405...
sin P = 0.7313...
P = sin−1(0.7313...)
P = 47.0° to one decimal place
Now we will find angle Q using 'angles of a triangle add to 180°':
Q = 180° − 117° − 47.0°
Q = 16.0° to one decimal place
Mastering this skill needs lots of practice, so ...