Cooch Behar Panchanan Barma University, W. B.

Special Paper: Cartography Sem III, Paper: DCE-1B, Unit- 1

SPHERICAL TRIANGLE

The triangle which is formed on a spherical surface by the intersection of three great circles drawn on that
sphere is known as a Spherical Triangle. So sides of a spherical triangle are arcs of three great circles which
intersect each other pairwise forming the three vertices of the spherical triangle. For example sides (XY, YZ
and ZX) of spherical triangle XYZ (fig. 1) are actually arcs of great circles UXYV, AZYB and PXZQ
respectively.
Great circles are the largest possible circles that can be drawn on a sphere with its centre coinciding with the
centre of the sphere itself. The plane of a great circle must pass through the centre of the sphere and thus its
radius becomes equal to the sphere itself.

Fig. 1: Formation of a Spherical Triangle

A spherical triangle has 6 elements i.e. its 3 sides and 3 angles and all of them are expressed as angular values.
For example spherical triangle XYZ has sides XY, YZ and ZX along with angles X, Y and Z created on its
vertices. The sides XY, YZ and ZX can also be represented as z, x and y respectively depending on the vertex
opposite to them. Any spherical angle (X, Y or Z) is formed by the intersection of two bounding great circles
and is defined by the plane angle between the tangents to the circle at the point of intersection. Spherical angles
X, Y and Z of spherical triangle XYZ are the angles between the great circle planes CXY, CYZ and CXZ.

Fig. 2: Sides and angle of a Spherical Triangle

Prepared By Partha Das (W.B.E.S.), Assistant Professor in Geography, ABN Seal College, Cooch Behar Page 1
Cooch Behar Panchanan Barma University, W. B. Special Paper: Cartography Sem III, Paper: DCE-1B, Unit- 1

The important properties of any spherical triangle are as under-

• Angles opposite to equal sides are equal and vice versa.

• Any angle is less than π (180°).
• The sum of three angles is always greater than π (180°) and is less than 3π (540°).
• The angular value, by which summation of three angles in a spherical triangle exceeds 180°, is known as
Spherical Excess and it can be expressed as E.
• Lengths of the sides are numerically equal to the product of the radius of the sphere and the radian
measure of the angles that the great circle arcs subtend at the centre.
• Side of a proper spherical triangle is less than π and sum of three sides is less than 2π.
• The sum of two sides is always greater than the third, whereas the difference between two sides is less
than the third.
• The greater angle is opposite the greater side and vice versa.
• The area of a spherical triangle is the product of the square of the radius of the sphere (R²) and Spherical
Excess (E) of the triangle.

Fig. 3: Notations of sides and angle of a Spherical Triangle

To solve the sides and angles of a spherical triangle, various rules are applicable which are as follow-

Fig. 4: Equations to solve a Spherical Triangle

Prepared By Partha Das (W.B.E.S.), Assistant Professor in Geography, ABN Seal College, Cooch Behar Page 2
Cooch Behar Panchanan Barma University, W. B. Special Paper: Cartography Sem III, Paper: DCE-1B, Unit- 1

Problem 1: Solve spherical triangle PQR when co-ordinates of the vertices are P (38°S, 25°W), Q (10°S,
0°) and R (55°S, 32°W). Find azimuth and distance of P and Q from R.
Meridians 25°W, 0° and 32°E all meet at pole (90S)
PS = 52°, QS= 80° and RS= 35°
Therefore, ∠𝑃𝑆𝑄= 25° and ∠𝑄𝑆𝑅= 32°
So, ∠𝑃𝑆𝑅= (∠𝑃𝑆𝑄 + ∠𝑄𝑆𝑅) = 57°
In spherical ∆ PSR; PS= 52°, RS= 35° and ∠𝑃𝑆𝑅= 57°
Therefore, cos RP = cos PS. cos RS + sin PS. sin RS. cos ∠𝑃𝑆𝑅
or, cos RP = cos 52°. cos 35° + sin 52°. sin 35°. cos 57°
or, cos RP = 0.75049
or, RP = cos -1 0.75049
RP = 41° 22' 02"

Fig. 5: Spherical Triangle PQR

In spherical ∆PSQ; PS= 52°, QS= 80° and ∠𝑃𝑆𝑄= 25° Therefore, cos PQ = cos 52°.cos 80° + sin 52°.sin 80°.cos 25°
or, cos PQ = 0.81024
or, PQ = cos-1 0.81024 = 35° 52' 21"
In spherical ∆RSQ; RS= 35°, QS= 80° and ∠𝑄𝑆𝑅= 32° Therefore, cos QR = cos 80°.cos 35° + sin 80°.sin 35°.cos 32°
or, cos QR = 0.62127
or, QR = cos -1 0.62127= 51° 35' 27"
Now, after obtaining sides of spherical ∆PQR, internal angles ∠RPQ, ∠PQR and ∠QRP remain to be solved
cos 𝑄𝑅−cos 𝑃𝑄.cos 𝑅𝑃 cos 𝑅𝑃−cos 𝑃𝑄.cos 𝑄𝑅 cos 𝑃𝑄−cos 𝑄𝑅.cos 𝑅𝑃
cos ∠RPQ= sin 𝑃𝑄.sin 𝑅𝑃
cos ∠PQR= sin 𝑃𝑄.sin 𝑄𝑅
cos ∠QRP= sin 𝑄𝑅.sin 𝑅𝑃
cos ∠RPQ= cos ∠PQR= cos ∠QRP=
cos 51° 35′ 27"−𝑐𝑜𝑠 35° 52′ 51".cos 41° 22′ 02" cos 41° 22′ 02"−𝑐𝑜𝑠 35° 52′ 51".cos 51° 35′ 27" cos 35° 52′ 51"−𝑐𝑜𝑠 51° 35′ 27".cos 41° 22′ 02"
sin 35° 52′ 51".sin 41° 22′ 02" sin 35° 52′ 51".sin 51° 35′ 27" sin 51° 35′ 27".sin 41° 22′ 02"

0.013198 0.24711 0.34398

cos ∠RPQ= cos ∠PQR= cos ∠QRP=
0.38734 0.45926 0.51786

∠RPQ= cos-1 0.03407 ∠PQR= cos-1 0.53806 ∠QRP= cos-1 0.66423

= 88° 02' 50" = 57° 26' 54" = 48° 22' 35"

Now, Spherical Excess (ϵ) = Summation of three angles of spherical ∆PQR – π

= (∠RPQ+∠PQR+∠QRP) – π = (88° 02' 50"+ 57° 26' 54"+ 48° 22' 35") – π
= 193° 52' 19" - 180° = 13° 52' 19"

Therefore Area of the spherical ∆PQR (∆) = Radius of the Earth2 × Spherical Excess in radian
𝜋
= R2 × (ϵ) c = 6368 km2 × (13° 52' 19" × ) = 9817950.04 sq. km.
180°

Distance of P and Q from R are the great circle distance RP and QR respectively. So the distances of P and Q from R,
are 41° 22' 02" and 51° 35' 27" respectively.

Azimuth of P and Q from R, are expressed as ∠SRP and ∠SRQ respectively which can be calculated from spherical ∆SPR
and spherical ∆ SQR
In spherical ∆SPR; PS= 52°, RP= 41° 22' 02", ∠𝑃𝑆𝑅= 57° In spherical ∆SQR; QS= 80°, QR= 51° 35' 27", ∠𝑄𝑆𝑅= 32°
sin ∠SRP sin ∠𝑃𝑆𝑅 sin 57° ×sin 52° sin ∠SRQ sin ∠𝑄𝑆𝑅 sin 32° ×sin 80°
Therefore = or, sin ∠SRP= Therefore = or, sin ∠SRQ=
sin 𝑃𝑆 sin 𝑅𝑃 sin 41° 22′ 02" sin 𝑄𝑆 sin 𝑄𝑅 sin 51° 35′ 27"

So, ∠SRP= sin-1 0.999998 ∠SRP= 89° 53' 07" So, ∠SRQ= sin-1 0.66599 ∠SRQ= 41° 45' 31"
Azimuth of P from R is 89° 53' 07". Azimuth of Q from R must be greater than right angle as Q is pole ward to R. So it
is (180 - 41° 45' 31") = 138° 14' 29"

Prepared By Partha Das (W.B.E.S.), Assistant Professor in Geography, ABN Seal College, Cooch Behar Page 3
Cooch Behar Panchanan Barma University, W. B. Special Paper: Cartography Sem III, Paper: DCE-1B, Unit- 1

To solve sides and angles of a spherical triangle consisting of a right angle (90°), Napier’s rule of five parts is
important. In any spherical triangle, the spherical angle with a value of 90° has two adjacent sides, rest of the
two spherical angles and another side opposite to the right angle forming the five parts. The rule states-

• Sine of any one part is product of tangent of adjacent parts.

• Sine of any one part is product of cosines of opposite parts.

Fig. 5: Napier’s Rule to solve a right angled Spherical Triangle

Problem 2: Find the shortest possible distance (nautical miles) between two ports, A (25°N, 60°E) and B
(25°N, 180°E). Also find the co-ordinates of the most pole ward point in this shortest possible route and its
azimuth from port A and port B. Lastly find the distance of the most pole ward point from A and B.
Meridians of port A (60°E) and port B (180°E) meet at pole
N (90°N).
Therefore angle generated at N between A and B is
(60°E~180°E)= 120° (∠ANB)
Distance between N and A (NA) = (90°N~25°N) = 65°
Similarly NB= 65°

Let, the shortest possible distance between A and B is the

great circle distance AB between them and the most pole
ward point on route AB is P.

Fig. 6: Port A, B and pole N forming spherical ∆NAB

Now if a perpendicular is drawn on P from N (NP), it generates a right angle (∠NPA=∠NPB=90°) on point P as it is the
most pole ward point on great circle arc AB.

Let θ be the azimuth of P from A (∠NAB) while distance AP and NP is x and y respectively.
Now from spherical ∆NAB; NA=NB= 65° and ∠ANB= 120°.

Now, cos AB = cos NA. cos NB + sin NA. sin NB. cos ∠ANB
or, cos AB = cos 65°. cos 65° + sin 65°. sin 65°. cos 120°
or, cos AB = -0.23209
or, AB = cos-1 (-0.23209) Therefore, AB= 103° 25' 12"

Therefore the shortest distance between port A and port B is 103° 25' 12" = (6180+25.2) = 6205.2 nautical miles,
given 1° of great circular arc distance is 60 nautical miles on the earth.

Again in spherical ∆NAB; NB= 65°, AB= 103° 25' 12", ∠ANB= 120° and ∠NAB = θ
sin ∠𝑁𝐴𝐵 sin ∠ANB sin 120°×sin 65°
So, sin 𝑁𝐵
= sin 𝐴𝐵
or, sin ∠NAB = sin 103°25′12"
or, θ = sin-1 0.80692 = 53° 47' 45"

sin ∠𝑁𝐵𝐴 sin ∠ANB sin 120°×sin 65°

Similarly, sin 𝑁𝐴
= sin 𝐴𝐵
or, sin ∠𝑁𝐵𝐴 = sin 103°25′12"
or, ∠𝑁𝐵𝐴 = 53° 47' 45"

Prepared By Partha Das (W.B.E.S.), Assistant Professor in Geography, ABN Seal College, Cooch Behar Page 4
Cooch Behar Panchanan Barma University, W. B. Special Paper: Cartography Sem III, Paper: DCE-1B, Unit- 1

Therefore azimuth of most pole ward point P from both port A and port B are 53° 47' 45".

Now to find the co-ordinates of P, spherical ∆NAP requires to be solved where NA= 65°, AP= x, PN= y, ∠NPA = 90° and
∠NAP= 53° 47' 45"

As ∆NAP is a right angle spherical triangle, so Napier’s rule of five parts can
be applied in following manner-

sin y = cos (90°- θ) × cos (90°- 65°)

sin y = cos (90°- 53° 47' 45") × cos 25°
sin y = cos 36° 12' 15" × cos 25°
y = sin-1 0.73132
y = 46° 59' 48"

Again, sin (90° - ∠ANP) = tan y × tan (90°-65°)

cos ∠ANP = tan 46° 59' 48" × tan 25°
∠ANP = cos-1 0.4999954
∠ANP = 60° 00' 01"

Latitude of P = (90° ~ y) = (90° ~ 46° 59' 48") = 43° 00' 12" N

Longitude of P = (60° E + 60° 00' 01") = 120° 00' 01" E

Fig. 7: Parts of ∆NAP according to
Napier’s Rule

Therefore the co-ordinates of most pole ward point P is 43° 00' 12" N, 120° 00' 01" E

AP (x) is the distance of most pole ward point P from port A

From Fig. 7; sin x = tan y × tan (90°- θ)
or, sin x = tan 46° 59' 48" × tan (90°- 53° 47' 45")
or, sin x = tan 46° 59' 48" × tan 36° 12' 15"
or, x = sin-1 0.78488 Therefore x= 51° 42' 36"

Now PB is the distance of most pole ward point P from port B.

Let, PB = z
To find z, right angle spherical triangle ∆NPB needs to be solved where NB = 65°, PN = y = 46° 59' 48", PB = z and
∠NBP= 53° 47' 45"

In right angle triangle ∆NPB, Napier’s rule of five parts can be

applied in following manner-

sin z = tan (90°- ∠NBP) × tan y

sin z = tan (90°- 53° 47' 45") × tan y
sin z = tan 36° 12' 15" × tan 46° 59' 48"
Therefore z= sin-1 0.78489
z= 51° 42' 36"

Fig. 8: Parts of ∆NPB according to Napier’s Rule

So distance of most pole ward point from port A and B are both 51° 42' 36"

Prepared By Partha Das (W.B.E.S.), Assistant Professor in Geography, ABN Seal College, Cooch Behar Page 5