Sperical Trigonometry in

Great Circle Sailing

Spherical Trigonometry - Cosine Law

b c
cos(a) = (cos(A) sin(b) sin(c)) + cos(b)
cos(c)
a
B DLo

C Co-Lat2
Co-Lat1

GCD
F/Co

I/Co
GCD Formula Derivation:
DLo

Co-Lat2
Co-Lat1
90o
GCD
F/Co

I/Co Lat2
Lat1
00o

Cos GCD= (Cos DLo Sin Co-Lat1 Sin Co-Lat2)+ Cos Co-Lat1 Cos Co-Lat2
Cos GCD= (Cos DLo x Cos Lat1 x Cos Lat2)+ Sin Lat1 x Sin Lat2
I/Co Formula Derivation:
DLo

Co-Lat2
Sine Law: Co-Lat1
Sin aSin bSin c 90o
= =
Sin A Sin BSin C GCD
F/Co

I/Co Lat2
Lat1
00o

Sin Co-Lat2 Sin GCD Cos Lat2 x Sin

= Sin I/Co =
Sin I/Co Sin DLo DLo
Sin GCD
F/Co Formula Derivation:
DLo

Co-Lat2
Sine Law: Co-Lat1
Sin aSin bSin c 90o
= =
Sin A Sin BSin C GCD
F/Co

I/Co Lat2
Lat1
00o

Sin Co-Lat1 Sin GCD Cos Lat1 x Sin

= Sin F/Co =
Sin F/Co Sin DLo DLo
Sin GCD
Determining the Course Angles:

North Pole
North
Reference North
Line Reference
Line

External Angle = F/Co

Internal Angle = I/Co I/Co
Internal Angle

00o

I/Co = Internal Angle

F/Co = 180 – Internal Angle
*Internal Angle is solved using the Sine Law formula
Napier’s Rule:

b a
a B C
A c b
c

B
Sin (middle part) = Cos (opposite) x Cos (opposite)

Sin (middle part) = Tan (adjacent) x Tan (adjacent)

LatV Formula Derivation: Hypotenuse and
DLoV adjacent angles have
bars; meaning
“complements of”;
Co-L1 Co-LV subtract from 90o

V
P1V

Co-L1
I/Co I/Co
Sin (middle part) = Cos (opposite) x Cos (opposite)
Co-LV
Sin Co-LV = Cos I/Co x Cos Co-L1
Cos LV = Sin I/Co x Cos L1
DLoV Formula Derivation: Hypotenuse and
DLoV adjacent angles have
bars; meaning
“complements of”;
Co-L1 Co-LV subtract from 90o

V
P1V

I/Co I/Co DLoV

Sin (middle part) = Cos (opposite) x Cos (opposite)
Co-LV
Sin I/Co = Cos DLoV x Cos Co-LV
Cos I/Co = Sin DLoV x Sin LV
Sin DLoV = Cos I/Co ÷ Sin LV
DLoV Formula Derivation: Hypotenuse and
DLoV adjacent angles have
bars; meaning
“complements of”;
Co-L1 Co-LV subtract from 90o

V
P1V

I/Co I/Co DLoV

Sin (middle part) = Cos (opposite) x Cos (opposite)
Co-LV
Sin I/Co = Cos DLoV x Cos Co-LV
Cos I/Co = Sin DLoV x Sin LV
Sin DLoV = Cos I/Co ÷ Sin LV
LatX Formula Derivation: Hypotenuse and
DLoVX
adjacent angles have
bars; meaning
“complements of”;
Co-LX Co-LV subtract from 90o

V
X
Co-LX
DLoVX
Sin (middle part) = Tan (adjacent) x Tan (adjacent) Co-LV
Sin DLoVX = Tan Co-LX x Tan Co-L V
Cos DLoVX = Tan LX ÷ Tan LV
Tan LX = Cos DLoVX x Tan LV
Practice Exercises:
1. Given: Find:
P1 = 2000’N; 14000’E GCD, I/Co, F/Co, LatX
P2 = 3500’N; 14000’W
LongX = 160°00’E

2. Given: Find:
P1 = 1115’N; 12500’E GCD, I/Co,
P2 = 0800’S; 07934’W

3. Given: Find:
P1 = 1145’N; 12600’E GCD, F/Co,
P2 = 1600’S; 07834’W