SPHERICAL TRIGONOMETRY

- the study of the relations connecting the

sides and angles of a spherical triangle
- is a branch of trigonometry that concerns
with triangles extracted from the surface of the
sphere
- basic in astronomy, surveying and
navigation
- time of day, directions of sailing and flying,
positions of ships, airplanes and reference points



Great circle a circle cut from a sphere by a plane
through the center of the sphere
Ex: circles NWS and PBAP

Arc length angle subtended by the arc at the
center of the sphere
Ex: arc AB has arc length of
Quarter of a great circle has an arc length of
90
An arc of 1 on a sphere equal to the earth in
volume is a nautical mile and has 6080.3 ft.
Thus 90 has 5400 nautical miles.

Poles of the circle a line through the center O of a
sphere perpendicular to the plane of a circle on
the sphere cuts the sphere in two points
Ex: P and P

Polar distance of a circle least distance on a
sphere from a point on the circle to its pole
Ex: Polar distance of great circle is 90.
Polar distance of TQR is arc PR.

Theorem: If the planes of two great circles are
perpendicular, then their great circle passes
through the poles of the other and conversely.

Lune one of the parts in which a sphere is divided
by two diametral planes
Ex: PABPSR

SPHERICAL TRIANGLE
- consists of three arcs of great circles that form
the boundaries of a portion of a spherical
surface
- the vertices will be denoted by A, B and C,
and the sides opposite by a, b and c

A
C
B
b
a
c
b
c
a
A
C
B
D
E
O
F
O


Important Propositions from Solid Geometry:
1. If two angles of a spherical triangle are
equal, the sides opposite are equal; and
conversely.
2. If two angles of a spherical triangle are
unequal, the sides opposite are unequal,
and the greater side lies opposite the
greater angle; and conversely.
3. The sum of two sides of a spherical triangle
is greater than the third side. In symbols,
a + b > c
4. The sum of the sides of a spherical triangle
is less than 360. In symbols,
0 < a + b + c < 360
5. The sum of the angles of a spherical
triangle is greater than 180 and less than
540; that is,
180 < A + B + C < 540
6. The sum of any two angles of a spherical
triangle is less than 180 plus the third
angle; that is,
A + B < 180 + C

PROBLEMS:
1. An arc of a great circle on a sphere of
radius 3959 mi subtends at the center an
angle of 5. Find the length of the arc in
radians and in nautical miles.
2. The angles of a spherical triangle are
C=90, A=52, B=57 and the sides are 47,
43 and 60 approximately. Which side is a,
which is b and which is c?
3. The parts of a spherical triangle are A=59,
B=132, C=90, c=122, a=46 or 134, b
=39 or 141 approximately. What choice for
a and b must be made?

Earth ellipsoidal in shape about 7918 statute
miles in diameter

Axis line through the center where the earth
revolves

Poles points in which its axis cuts the surface;
north and south poles

Equator is a great circle cut from the earth by a
plane perpendicular to the axis of the earth
through the center

Parallel of latitude (parallel) is a small circle cut
from the earth by a plane parallel to the
equatorial plane

Meridian is half of a great circle on the earth
terminated by the north pole and the south pole

Latitude angular distance from the equator along
a meridian through the place
- measured north or south of the equator from
0-90

Longitude angle at either pole between the
meridian passing through the point and some
fixed meridian known as the prime meridian
- measured east or west of the PM from 0-180


SOLUTION OF SPHERICAL TRIANGLES

Law of cosines for the sides:
cos a = cos b cos c + sin b sin c cos A
cos b = cos a cos c + sin a sin c cos B
cos c = cos a cos b + sin a sin b cos C

Law of cosines for angles:
cos A = - cos B cos C + sin B sin C cos a
cos B = - cos A cos C + sin A sin C cos b
cos C = - cos A cos B + sin A sin B cos c

Law of sines:

PROBLEMS:
1. Solve the spherical triangle in which b = 30,
c=60, A=60 for a.
2. Find the side opposite the given angle for a
spherical triangle having
a) b=60, c=30, A=45
3. Find the angle opposite the given side for a
spherical triangle in which
a) B=120, C=150, a=135
4. Given in a spherical triangle a=120, b=60,
c=135, A=95.85, find B and C.

ASSIGNMENT # 1:
1. Find the side opposite the given angle for a
spherical triangle having a=45, c=30 and
B=120
2. Find the angle opposite the given side for a
spherical triangle in which A=135, C=120,
b=135
3. Solve the spherical triangle with given
A=108.67, B=134.33 and c=34.15.

RIGHT SPHERICAL TRIANGLE
- one of the angles is 90

Formulas Relating to Right Spherical Triangles:
tan a = tan c cos B
tan a = sin b tan A
tan b = sin a tan B
tan b = tan c cos A
cos c = cot A cot B
sin a = sin c sin A
sin b = sin c sin B
cos c = cos a cos b
cos A = cos a sin B
cos B = cos b sin A

NAPIERS RULES












co-A = complement of A = 90 - A
co-B = complement of B = 90 - B
co-c = complement of c = 90 - c
a, b, co-c, co-A and co-B are called the circular
parts

If a is the middle part, b and co-B are adjacent to a
and co-c and co-A are opposite to a.

Recall: (same with co-B and co-c)
sin A = cos co-A = cos (90 - A)
cos A = sin co-A = sin (90 - A)
tan A = cot co-A = cot (90 - A)
cot A = tan co-A = tan (90 - A)
sec A = csc co-A = csc (90 - A)
csc A = sec co-A = sec (90 - A)


Napiers Rule:

I. The sine of any middle part is equal to the
product of the cosines of the opposite parts.

II. The sine of any middle part is equal to the
product of the tangents of the adjacent parts.

sin middle = cos opposite = tan adjacent

PROBLEMS:
For each set of data relating to a right spherical
triangle, find the indicated unknown functions:
1. a=30, b=60, cos c=?
2. A=45, c=60, tan b=?
Solve the right spherical triangle having the parts:
3. a=4327, c=6024

ASSIGNMENT # 2:
For each set of data relating to a right spherical
triangle, find the indicated unknown functions:
1. a=45, c=60, cos B=?
2. A=45, b=60, cot c=?
3. B=150, c=120, tan a=?
Solve the right spherical triangle having the parts:
4. b=4836, c=6942
5. a=11854, B=1219

Laws of Quadrants

LQ1: In a right spherical triangle an oblique angle
and the side opposite are of the same
quadrant.
LQ2: When the hypotenuse of a right spherical
triangle is
(a) less than 90, the two legs are of the
same quadrant and conversely.
(b) greater than 90, one leg is of the first
quadrant, the other of the second, and
conversely.


Quadrantal Triangles
- a spherical triangle having a side equal to
90

CLASSICAL METHODS OF SOLVING
SPHERICAL TRIANGLES

Case 1: Two sides and included angle are given.
Case 2: Two angles and the included side.
Case 3: Two sides and an angle opposite one of
them.
Case 4: Two angles and a side opposite one of
them.
Case 5: Three sides are given.
Case 6: Three angles are given.

NAPIERS ANALOGIES:

TERRESTRIAL SPHERE:



where: E = spherical excess in degrees
E = ( A+B+C) - 180

ASSIGNMENT # 3:
Solve the following triangles.
1. a = 75
0
b = 110
0
C = 72
0

2. c = 113
0
B = 66
0
A = 110
0

3. a = 54
0
b = 25
0
A = 101
0

4. a = 25
0
B = 108
0
A = 59
0

5. a = 51
0
b = 81
0
c = 115
0

6. A = 58
0
B = 143
0
C = 25
0












C
B A
b a
b a
C
B A
b a
b a
c
b a
B A
B A
c
b a
B A
B A
2
1
cot
2
1
tan
2
1
cos
2
1
cos
. 4
2
1
cot
2
1
tan
2
1
sin
2
1
sin
. 3
2
1
tan
2
1
tan
2
1
cos
2
1
cos
. 2
2
1
tan
2
1
tan
2
1
sin
2
1
sin
. 1

180
r
sphere of
2
E
Area