GCSE Maths – Geometry and Measures

Sine and Cosine Rules and Area of a Triangle

(Higher Only)
Worksheet

This worksheet will show you how to work out different types of questions
relating to the sine and cosine rules and area of a triangle. Each section
contains a worked example, a question with hints and then questions for you
to work through on your own.

This work by PMT Education is licensed under https://bit.ly/pmt-cc

https://bit.ly/pmt-edu-cc CC BY-NC-ND 4.0

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 Section A

Worked Example

The triangle ABC is shown below.

Calculate the size of angle C.

Step 1: Identify which rule needs to be used.

Since we know two side lengths and one of their opposite angles, we use the sine rule.

sin 𝐴𝐴 sin 𝐵𝐵 sin 𝐶𝐶

= =
𝑎𝑎 𝑏𝑏 𝑐𝑐

Step 2: Work out which form of the chosen rule to use.

As we are looking to work out the angle, sin 𝐶𝐶 needs to be the numerator. We will use this
form of the sine rule:

sin 𝐵𝐵 sin 𝐶𝐶
=
𝑏𝑏 𝑐𝑐
Step 3: Substitute in the values we already know, rearrange the equation to make the unknown
term the subject, and calculate the unknown term.

sin 33 sin 𝐶𝐶
=
1.4 1.2
sin 33
sin 𝐶𝐶 = × 1.2
1.4

sin 𝐶𝐶 = 0.46683 …

sin−1 0.46683 … = 27.8268 … ° = 𝟐𝟐𝟐𝟐. 𝟖𝟖𝟖𝟖°

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 Guided Example

Triangle ABC is shown below.

Calculate the length of side AC.

Step 1: Identify which rule needs to be used.

En stub Enc

Step 2: Work out which form of the chosen rule to use.

sin stub

Step 3: Substitute in the values we already know, rearrange the equation to make the unknown
term the subject, and calculate the unknown term.

s.tn
bxsinpg

8­Ac
1.7Iinf8 1.661

AC 1.66units
Sf

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 Now it’s your turn!
If you get stuck, look back at the worked and guided examples.

1. Calculate the following using the triangles shown below:

a) The length of AB
sta stub

3.3 Entz
AB 2.1sin32.3
a
1.179
I 17units Bsf

b) The length of AC

sta stub

s.tt sI77z
o.z
AC 4.38777

4.052
4.05units Sf
1 AnglesinTrang
180 72.2 37.6
70.2

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 Section B

Worked Example

Consider the triangle below.

Calculate the length of BC.

Step 1: Identify which rule needs to be used.

Since we know two side lengths and the angle between them, we use the cosine rule:

𝑎𝑎2 = 𝑏𝑏 2 + 𝑐𝑐 2 − 2𝑏𝑏𝑐𝑐 cos 𝐴𝐴

Step 2: Work out which form of the chosen rule to use.

We are calculating the length of BC.

In the cosine equation:
𝑎𝑎 = 𝐵𝐵𝐶𝐶
𝑏𝑏 = 𝐴𝐴𝐵𝐵
𝑐𝑐 = 𝐴𝐴𝐶𝐶
Therefore, we use the form:

𝐵𝐵𝐶𝐶 2 = 𝐴𝐴𝐵𝐵2 + 𝐴𝐴𝐶𝐶 2 − 2(𝐴𝐴𝐵𝐵)(𝐴𝐴𝐶𝐶) cos 𝐴𝐴

Step 3: Substitute in the values we already know, rearrange the equation to make the unknown
term the subject (if necessary), and calculate the unknown term.

𝐵𝐵𝐶𝐶 2 = 4.92 + 5.12 − 2 × 4.9 × 5.1 × cos 40.7

𝐵𝐵𝐶𝐶 2 = 12.128 …

𝐵𝐵𝐶𝐶 = √12.128 … = 3.482 … = 𝟖𝟖. 𝟒𝟒𝟖𝟖

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 Guided Example

Consider triangle ABC below.

Calculate the size of angle A.

Step 1: Identify which rule needs to be used.

cosinerule

Step 2: Work out which form of the chosen rule to use.

COSA a b2 c2
Tbc

Step 3: Substitute in the values we already know, rearrange the equation to make the unknown
term the subject (if necessary), and calculate the unknown term.

COSA 7.22 5.62 3.72

2 7.2 5.6
cosA 6 5
4
A cos
84
LA 30.50 34

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 Now it’s your turn!
If you get stuck, look back at the worked and guided examples.

2. Calculate the following using the triangles shown below:

a) The length of AC

b) The size of angle A

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 Section C

Worked Example

Calculate the area of the triangle ABC.

Step 1: Identify the available information and decide what form of the area formula we need to use,
rearranging if necessary.
1
𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝑎𝑎 = 𝑎𝑎𝑏𝑏 sin 𝐶𝐶
2

Since we know the length of side BC (which is ‘a’ in the formula), the length of side AC
(which is ‘b’ in the formula) and the size of angle C, we will use the standard area formula:

1 1
𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝑎𝑎 = 𝑎𝑎𝑏𝑏 sin 𝐶𝐶 = (𝐴𝐴𝐶𝐶)(𝐵𝐵𝐶𝐶) sin 𝐶𝐶
2 2

Step 2: Substitute the values that we already know in and calculate the unknown value.
1
𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝑎𝑎 = × 4.4 × 8.3 × sin 63.9
2
𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝑎𝑎 = 16.397 … = 𝟏𝟏𝟏𝟏. 𝟒𝟒𝟒𝟒 𝐮𝐮𝐮𝐮𝐮𝐮𝐮𝐮𝐮𝐮𝟐𝟐 (𝟐𝟐 𝐝𝐝. 𝐩𝐩. )

Guided Example

The area of this triangle is 22.7 cm2.

Calculate the length of BC.

Step 1: Work out what information is available, and what form of the area formula we need to use,
rearranging if necessary.

Step 2: Substitute the values that we already know in and calculate the unknown value.

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 Now it’s your turn!
If you get stuck, look back at the worked and guided examples.

3. Calculate the following using the triangles shown below:

a) The area of this triangle

Area
tabsinC
Area 12.5 9.9 x sin139.9
1
39.85
2
Bst
Area 39 qunits

b) The length of AC

Area
tabsin C
5 12 3.7 x b x sin57.5
3.75157.5

b 3.204
AC 3.20units 355

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