Precalculus: 4.

7 Law of Sines/Cosines Part 1 (Day 4)

The Law of Sines

NAME ___________________________

Law of Sines

Right triangle trigonometry can be used to solve problems involving right

triangles. However, many interesting problems involve non-right triangles.
In this lesson, you will use right triangle trigonometry to develop the Law
of Sines. The law of sines is important because it can be used to solve
problems involving non-right triangles as well as right triangles.
Consider oblique ABC shown to the right.
1. Sketch an altitude from vertex B.
2. Label the altitude k.
3. The altitude creates two right triangles inside ABC .
Notice that A is contained in one of the right triangles,
and C is contained in the other. Using right triangle
trigonometry, write two equations, one involving sin A,
and one involving sin C.

sin A

sin C

4. Notice that each of the equations in Question 3 involves k. (Why does this happen?) Solve each
equation for k.

5. Since both equations in Question 4 are equal to k, they can be set equal to each other. (Why is
this possible?) Set the equations equal to each other to form a new equation.

6. Notice that the equation in Question 5 no longer involves k. (Why not?) Write an equation
equivalent to the equation in Question 5, regrouping a with sin A and c with sin C.

2008 National Council of Teachers of Mathematics

http://illuminations.nctm.org

Law
of Cosines
The
Law of

Cosines

NAME ___________________________

The law of sines can be used to determine the measures of missing
angles and sides of triangles when the measures of two angles and a

side (AAS or ASA) or the measures of two sides and a non-included

angle (SSA) are known. However, the law of sines cannot be used to

determine the measures of missing angles and sides of triangles when

the measures of two sides and an included angle (SAS) or the

measures of three sides (SSS) are known. Since the law of sines can
only be used in certain situations, we need to develop another method

to address the other possible cases. This new method is called the Law

of Cosines.

To develop the law of cosines, begin with ABC . From
vertex C, altitude k is drawn and separates side c into
segments x and c x. (Why can the segments be
represented in this way?)




1. The altitude separates ABC into two right triangles.
Use the Pythagorean theorem to write two equations,
one relating k, b, and c x, and another relating a, k, and x.




2
2
2. Notice that both equations contain k . (Why?) Solve each equation for k .















2008 National Council of Teachers of Mathematics
http://illuminations.nctm.org

Right Triangles
opp
sin =
hyp
adj
cos =
hyp
opp

tan =
adj

hyp
opp
hyp
sec =
adj
adj
cot =
opp
csc =

Use this when

the triangle is
NOT a right
triangle and
you're given an
angle and its
opposite side.

Law of Cosines

Use this when

the triangle is a
right triangle.

Law of Sines

SOH-CAH-TOA

Precalculus: 4.7 The Law of Sines/Cosines (Part 1) Day 4 Notes

Use this when

the triangle is
not a right
triangle and
you don't have
an angle and its
opposite side.

Law of Sines

Law of Cosines

sin A sin B sinC

=
=
a
b
c

c 2 = a 2 + b 2 2abcosC

Examples: Solve each of the following triangles. Round all angles to the nearest degree and all sides to the nearest
tenth.
1. A = 72o, c = 6, a = 8
2. a = 3, c = 7, B = 130o

3. A = 70o, B = 80o, c = 2

4. a = 5, b = 10, c = 12

5. On May 18, 1980, Mount Saint Helens, a volcano in Washington, erupted with such force that the top of the
mountain was blown off. To determine the new height at the summit of Mount Saint Helen, a surveyor measured the
angle of elevation to the top of the volcano to be 38o. The surveyor moved 100 feet closer to the volcano and
measured the angle of elevation to be 40o30. Determine the new height of Mount Saint Helens.