The Laws of SINES

and COSINES
The Law of SINES

For any triangle (right, acute or obtuse), you may

use the following formula to solve for missing
sides or angles:
Use Law of SINES when given ...

● AAS
● ASA
● SSA (the ambiguous case)
Example 1

You are given a triangle, ABC, with angle A = 70°, angle B = 80° and side a
= 12 cm. Find the measures of angle C and sides b and c.

* In this section, angles are named with capital

letters and the side opposite an angle is named
with the same lower case letter. *
 Example 1 (con’t)

The angles in a ∆ total 180°, so

angle C = 30°.
Set up the Law of Sines to find side Set up the Law of Sines to
b: find side c:
B

80°
c a=
12

A 70° C
b
 Example 1 (solution)

B Angle C = 30°
80° Side b = 12.6 cm
6.4

a=
Side c = 6.4 cm
12
c=

Note:
A 70° 30° C We used the given values of A
b = 12.6
and a in both calculations since
your answer is more accurate if
you do not use rounded values
in calculations.
Example 2

You are given a triangle ABC, with angle C = 115°, angle B = 30° and side
a = 30 cm. Find the measures of angle A and sides b and c.
 Example 2 (con’t)

B To solve for the missing

sides/angles, we must have an
30° angle/side opposite pair to set up
the first equation.
c
a= We MUST find angle A because the
30 only side given is side a.
115°
C b A
The angles in a ∆ total 180°, so
angle A = 35°.
Example 2 (con’t)

Set up the Law of

Sines to find side b:

Set up the Law of Sines to find side c:

B

30°
c
a=
30
115° 35°
C b A
 Example 2 (solution)

B
Angle A = 35°
30° Side b = 26.2 cm
c = 47.4
Side c = 47.4 cm
a=
30
115° 35° Note: Use the Law of Sines
C b = 26.2 A whenever you are given 2
angles and one side!
The Ambiguous Case (SSA)

When given SSA (two sides and an angle that is NOT the included angle) ,
the situation is ambiguous. The dimensions may not form a triangle, or
there may be 1 or 2 triangles with those dimensions. We first go through a
series of tests to determine how many (if any) solutions exist.
The Ambiguous Case (SSA)

In the following examples, the given angle will always

be angle A and the given sides will be sides a and b. If
you are given a different set of variables, feel free to
change them to simulate the steps provided here.
C=?
‘a’ - we don’t know what angle C
is so we can’t draw side ‘a’ in the
b right position

A B?
c=?
 The Ambiguous Case (SSA)

Situation I: Angle A is obtuse

If angle A is obtuse there are TWO possibilities.

If a ≤ b, then a is too short

to reach side c - a triangle If a > b, then there is
with these dimensions is ONE triangle with
C = ? impossible. C=? these dimensions.

a a
b b

A B? A B
c=? c=?
?
The Ambiguous Case (SSA)

Situation I: Angle A is obtuse - EXAMPLE

Given a triangle with angle A = 120°, side a = 22 cm and side
b = 15 cm, find the other dimensions.
C Since a > b, these dimensions are possible.
To find the missing dimensions, use the Law
of Sines:
a = 22
b = 15
120°
A B
c
 The Ambiguous Case (SSA)

Situation I: Angle A is obtuse - EXAMPLE

Angle C = 180° - 120° - 36.2° = 23.8°
C
Use Law of Sines to find side c:
a = 22
b = 15
120°
A B
c
36.2°

Solution: angle B = 36.2°, angle C = 23.8°, side c = 10.3

The Ambiguous Case (SSA)

Situation II: Angle A is acute

If angle A is acute there are SEVERAL possibilities.
Side ‘a’ may or may not be long
enough to reach side ‘c’. We
C=? calculate the height of the
altitude from angle C to side c to
b a compare it with side a.

A B?
c=?
 The Ambiguous Case (SSA)

Situation II: Angle A is a

First, use SOH-CAH-TOA to find h:

C=?

b a
h
A B?
c=?
Then, compare ‘h’ to sides a and b . . .
The Ambiguous Case (SSA)

Situation II: Angle A is acute

If a < h, then NO triangle exists with these dimensions.

C=?
a
b
h
A B?
c=?
The Ambiguous Case (SSA)

Situation II: Angle A is acute

If h < a < b, then TWO triangles exist with these dimensions.

C C

b b
a a h
h
A B A c
c B
If we open side ‘a’ to the If we open side ‘a’ to the
outside of h, angle B is acute. inside of h, angle B is obtuse.
 The Ambiguous Case (SSA)

Situation II: Angle A is acute

If h < b < a, then ONE triangle exists with these dimensions.

C Since side a is greater

than side b, side a
b a cannot open to the
h inside of h, it can only
open to the outside, so
A c B there is only 1 triangle
possible!
The Ambiguous Case (SSA)

Situation II: Angle A is acute

If h = a, then ONE triangle exists with these dimensions.

C
If a = h, then angle B must
b be a right angle and there is
a=h only one possible triangle
with these dimensions.
A c B
The Ambiguous Case (SSA)
if a < b 🡪 no solution
if angle A is if a > b 🡪 one solution
obtuse
if a < h 🡪 no solution
if angle A is acute if h < a < b 🡪 2 solutions
one with angle B acute,
find the height, one with angle B obtuse
h = b*sinA if a > b > h 🡪 1 solution
If a = h 🡪 1 solution
angle B is a right angle
The Law of COSINES
Use Law of COSINES when given ...

● SAS
● SSS (start with the
largest angle!)