Law of Sines

and Cosines
R I G H T T R I A N G L E A P P R OAC H
LAW OF SINES
(FOR ALL TRIANGLES)
 COMPARE
SINE LAW:
a. In finding the sides b. In finding the angles

(FOR ALL TRIANGLES EVEN RIGHT-ANGLED TRIANGLES )

THE SINE LAW
"In any given triangle, the ratio of the length of a side and the sine of the
angle opposite that side is a constant."
This is very applicable in any triangle (right, acute or obtuse triangles) in
which the side and the opposite angle are known, most commonly used for
non-right angled triangles.
The Law of Sines can be used to compute the remaining sides of a triangle
when two angles and a side are known (AAS or ASA) or when we are given two
sides and a non-enclosed angle (SSA).
NOTE
1. The three parts of the sine law formula are not
needed, only two are essential.
2. It is needed to depict a minimum of one pair of
side with its opposite angle.
A. Finding Sides of the Triangle
In finding the length of a side you'll use the formula of
sine rule where lengths are on the numerator.
Finding Sides Example:
Work out the length of x in the diagram below: Step 1 Start by writing out the Sine Rule formula
for finding sides:

𝑎 𝑏
=
sin(𝐴) sin(𝐵)

Step 2 Fill in the values you know, and the

unknown length:
𝑥 7
=
sin(80°) sin(60°)

Remember that each fraction in the Sine Rule

formula should contain a side and its opposite angle.
SOLUTION
Step 3 Solve the resulting equation to find the unknown side, giving your answer to 3 significant
figures:

(multiply by sin 80°on both sides)

𝑥 7
=
sin(80°) sin(60°)
7sin(80°)
𝑥=
sin(60°)

𝑥 = 7.96
B. Finding Angles of the Triangle
In finding the size of an angle, you'll need to use the formula of the sine law,
where the angles are on the numerator.
Finding Angles Example
Work out angle m° in the diagram below: Step 1 Start by writing out the Sine Rule formula for finding
angles:
sin(𝐴) sin(𝐵)
=
𝑎 b

Step 2 Fill in the values you know, and the unknown angle:

sin(𝑚) sin(75)
=
8 10
Remember that each fraction in the Sine Rule formula should
contain a side and its opposite angle.
SOLUTION
Step 3 Solve the resulting equation to find the sine of the unknown angle:

(multiply by 8 on both sides)

8sin(75)
sin(𝑚) =
10
sin(𝑚) = 0.773

Step 4 Use the inverse-sine function (sin–1) to find the angle:

𝑚 = sin−1 0.773 = 50.6°

PRACTICE PROBLEM:
Solve triangle PQR in which ∠ P = 63.5° and ∠ Q = 51.2° and r = 6.3.
SOLUTION
First, calculate the third angle.
∠ R = 180° – 63.5° – 51.2° = 65.3°
Next, calculate the sides.
PRACTICE PROBLEM:
Solve ∆ PQR in which ∠ P =116°, p = 8.3 cm and q = 5.4 cm.
SOLUTION
∠ Q = 35.8°, ∠ R = 180° – 116° – 35.8° = 28.2°
LAW OF SINES (AMBIGUOUS CASE)

If you are given two sides and a non-included acute

angle and the side facing the given angle is less
than the other side, you would obtain two sets of
answers. The solution is said to be ambiguous.
 EXAMPLE
Solve triangle PQR in which ∠ P = 56°, p = 10 cm and q = 12 cm
SOLUTION
SOLUTION
When ∠ Q = 95.8˚, ∠ R = 180˚ – 56˚ – 95.8˚ = 28.2˚

The two sets of solutions are:

∠ Q = 84.2°, ∠ R = 39.8°, r = 7.72 cm
∠ Q = 95.8°, ∠ R = 28.2°, r = 5.70 cm
LAW OF SINES
(APPLICATION PROBLEM)
The leaning tower of pisa is inclined 5.5 degrees from the vertical. At a distance of 100 meters
from the wall of the tower, the angle of elevation to the top is 30.5 degrees. Use the law of sines to
estimate the height of the leaning tower?
SOLUTION
Let us find angle y and angle z Now, we can use law of sines.
angle y + 5.5  = 90 , so angle y = 84.5 
100 ℎ
=
84.5  + 30.5  + angle z =180  sin(65°) sin(30.5°)
100sin(30.5°)
115  + angle z = 180  h=
sin(65°)

angle z = 65 
height of tower = 56 meters
PRACTICE PROBLEM
Two fire-lookout stations are 15 miles apart, with station A directly east of station B. Both
stations spot a fire. The angular direction of the fire from station B is N52°E and the angular
direction of the fire from station A is N36°W. How far is the fire from station A?
SOLUTION
Notice that to find 38°, you need to subtract 52° from 90°. By the same
token, to find 54°, you need to subtract 36° from 90°.
Notice also that the angle opposite 15 is missing, so we need to find it.
38  + 54  + missing angle = 180 
92  + missing angle = 180 , so missing angle = 88 
Now, we can use the law of sines to find the distance the fire is from station
A.
 SOLUTION
Let x be the distance from the fire to station A.

15 𝑥
=
sin(88°) sin(38°)

15sin(38°)
x=
sin(88°)

The distance the fire is from station A is = 9.24 miles

Law of Cosines
DEFINITION
The Law of Cosines is used to find the remaining
parts of an oblique (non-right) triangle when either
the lengths of two sides and the measure of the
included angle is known (SAS) or the lengths of the
three sides (SSS) are known.
 Use Cosine Law If The Given Are:

SAS SSS
SAS = side, angle, side
SSS = side, side, side
FORMULA
EXAMPLES
1. Solve triangle PQR in which p = 6.5 cm, q = 7.4 cm and ∠R =
58°.
SOLUTION
Using the Cosine rule,
𝑟 2 = 𝑝2 + 𝑞 2 − 2𝑝𝑞 cos 𝑅
𝑟 2 = (6.5)2 +(7.4)2 −2 6.5 7.4 𝑐𝑜𝑠58°

𝑟 2 = 46.03

𝑟 = 6.78 𝑐𝑚
EXAMPLES
2. In triangle ABC, a = 9 cm, b = 10 cm and c =
13 cm. Draw the triangle and find the size of
the largest angle.
SOLUTION
The largest angle is the one facing the longest side, i.e. C.
𝑐 2 = 𝑎2 + 𝑏 2 − 2𝑎𝑏 cos 𝐶
𝑎2 + 𝑏2 − 𝑐 2
𝐶= cos−1
2𝑎𝑏
−1
92 + 102 − 132
𝐶 = cos
2 9 (10)

𝐶 = 86.2°
EXAMPLES
3. In triangle DEF, side e = 8 cm, f = 10 cm,
and the angle at D is 60°.
SOLUTION
𝑑2 = 𝑒 2 + 𝑓 2 − 2𝑒𝑓 cos 𝐷
𝑑2 = (8)2 +(10)2 −2 8 10 𝑐𝑜𝑠60°

𝑑2 = 84

d = 9.17
PRACTICE PROBLEMS
1. Find the value of x
SOLUTION
In this case, we'll say that b = 9 and c = 13. That leaves x = a and A = 42°.
𝑎2 = 𝑏 2 + 𝑐 2 − 2𝑏𝑐 cos 𝐴
Substitute in our values and solve.

𝑥 2 = 𝑎2 = 92 + 132 − 2(9)(13) cos 42 °

𝑥 = 8.72
PRACTICE PROBLEM
SOLUTION
Find the value of x, y, and z.

First, we'll start with x, applying the Law of Cosines.

𝑎2 = 𝑏 2 + 𝑐 2 − 2𝑏𝑐 cos 𝐴
If a = x, then b = 121, c = 137, and A = 53°.

𝑥 2 = 1212 + 1372 − 2(121)(137) cos 53 °

Solve for 𝑥 2 and then take the square root.

x ≈ 116

To solve for y, we can use the Law of Sines. In our case, y = B.

SOLUTION
SOLUTION
LAW OF COSINES APPLICATION
PROBLEM
An aircraft tracking station determines the distance from a common point O to each aircraft and
the angle between the aircrafts. If angle O between the two aircrafts is equal to 49 o and the
distances from point O to the two aircrafts are 50 km and 72 km, find distance d between the two
aircrafts.(round answers to 1 decimal place).
SOLUTION
𝑑2 = (72)2 +(50)2 −2(72)(50) cos(49 °)
𝑑2 = 2960.37

𝑑 = 54.41 𝑘𝑚
PRACTICE PROBLEM
Find the total displacement of a person who walks the following
paths (displacement) on a flat bed. First, she walks 25.0 m in the
direction 49° north of east. Then, she walks 23.0 m heading 15°
north of east. Finally, she turns and walks 32.0 m in a direction
68° south of east.
Sources
https://sciencenotes.org/law-of-cosines-example-problem/

https://www.analyzemath.com/Geometry/cosine_law_problems.html

https://www.basic-mathematics.com/law-of-sines-problems.html

https://www.mathsisfun.com/algebra/trig-cosine-law.html

https://www.onlinemathlearning.com/law-of-cosines.html

https://www.onlinemathlearning.com/law-of-sines.html

https://www.shmoop.com/right-triangles-trigonometry/law-cosines-examples.html