Spherical Trigonometry

Lesson 11b
INTRODUCTION TO SPHERICAL TRIGONOMETRY
SOLUTIONS OF RIGHT SPHERICAL TRIANGLES

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• A spherical triangle is defined when three planes
pass through the surface of a sphere and through
the sphere's center of volume.
• A spherical triangle has three surface angles and
three central angles.

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• A spherical triangle has three surface angles and three
central angles.
• In the figure, 'A', 'B', and 'C' label the surface angles while 'a',
'b', and 'c' label the central angles.
• The surface angles correspond to the angle at which two
planes intersect each other.
• Note that the arcs are labeled by the central angles.
• In particular, notice that the arc opposite a surface angle is
labeled with the surface angle's LOWER case letter.
• For example, the arc opposite the surface angle 'A' is labeled
by the lower case letter 'a'.
• This is just notation and need not be followed, but it helps in
remembering the relations to follow.
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 Properties of spherical triangle
• If a circle is drawn on a sphere so that the radius of
the circle is the same as the radius of the sphere it
is called a great circle . Any other circle is a small
circle.
• An infinite number of great circle can pass through
one point , but only one great circle can pass
through tow points , unless they are diametrically
opposite.
• A spherical triangle is a triangle each of whose
sides is a great circle.
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• The length of the arc of a circle can be measured by the
angle which the arc subtends at the center of the circle .
The sides of a spherical triangle are measured in degree ,
minutes , and seconds.
• No sides of a spherical triangle can therefore exceed 180°.
• The three angles of a spherical triangle must together be
more than 180° and less than 540°.
• The greater side is opposite the greater angle , if tow
sides are equal their opposite angles are equal.
• If one angle of the triangle is 90° it is called a right-angle
triangle , and if one side of the triangle 90° it is called a
quadrantal triangle.

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• Napier's Rules for a spherical right triangle may be
stated as:
– The sine of an angle is equal to the product of cosines of the
opposite two angles.
– The sine of an angle is equal to the product of tangents of the
two adjacent angles.
• There is an easy way to determine which angles are the
opposite and which angles are the adjacent angles.
• Consider the spherical right triangle in which the
surface angle C is .
– We may write the 5 other angles (the surface angle is
omitted) into a circle which has been divided into 5 ''pieces
of pie''.
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 Solving right angle spherical triangle :
• In case giving a spherical triangle in which one
angle is 90°, the following fundamental rules can be
used,

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SOLVING OBLIQUE SPHERICAL
TRIANGLES

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Solving oblique spherical triangle

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