Lesson 43-2

AREA BY TRIANGLES

Area by triangles
 • The Triangle Method is a useful and fairly accurate method of
computing the area of transverses that have only a few sides.
• This method is well suited for determining areas of small tracts
of land and was popularly used before the engineer’s transit was
invented.
Commonly used cases:

1. Known Base and Altitude The Area of a triangle (Fig. 43-1)

whose base and altitude are known or
measured may be computed by the
A = (1/2)(b)h . . . . . . . . . . .
following formula:
. . . . . . . Eq. (1)
B
Where:
A = area of the tract of land
(sq.m.)
h

b = base or any side of the

triangle (m) A C

b = altitude or the perpendicular

distance from the corner
Fig. 43-1
opposite the base (m)

Area by triangles
 2. Two Sides and Included Angle
When the lengths of two
Measured
sides and the included
angle of any triangle (Fig.
  3-2) are known, its area is
given by the following
formula

 
B
a

C  

b
A

Fig. 43-2

Area by triangles
 3. Three Sides Measured The area of a triangle (Fig.
43-3) whose three sides
are known can be
computed by the formula
 

Where: A

A = area of the tract of

land (sq.m.) c

b
s = one half if the
perimeter or (1/2)(a + b + c),
where a, b, and c are the sides C B
of the triangle a

Fig 43-3

Area by triangles
 The area of any field in the shape of a geometric
figure can be found by dividing it into a series of
triangles. When the sides or diagonals are
measured, the area of the triangles are computed
separately by the usual mathematical formula
given above. The area of the field is then taken as
the sum of the areas of the triangles into which
the field is divided. However, this method is
limited to figure to figures that are bounded by
straight lines.

Area by triangles