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Trigonometry
in All Triangles
Prior Knowledge
• Use trigonometry and Pythagoras’ theorem in right angled
triangles.
• Use the sine rule, cosine rule and the sine rule for area.
• Use the trigonometric graphs to find values.
At GCSE, we met the sine and cosine rule as well as the sine rule for
area. Using these allowed us to find missing sides and angles in all
triangles. At AS level, we will use the same rules but we will have to
apply the rules in more complex situations. We will need to use and
understand what is known as the ambiguous sine rule.

For the following triangle:

A

b
c
C

a
B

The Sine Rule The Cosine Rule The Sine Rule for
Area
a2 = b2 + c2 – 2bccosA
Area = absinC
or
 The Ambiguous Sine Rule Case
When finding an angle in a triangle using the sine rule, we need to be
aware that our calculator only returns the first possible value of θ. We
should consider whether it is possible for θ to take a further value
under 180º using the symmetry of the sine graph around 90º.

0 90° 180°
 The Ambiguous Sine Rule Case
The different possible values of θ result in the two possible triangles
below:

x a
a

x a x
a
A θ A θ

This triangle is the result of This triangle is the result of

taking the acute value of θ. taking the obtuse value of θ.
Note to teachers:
Two versions of the following slides have been
provided:

• One set has a blank space below the questions to

do it yourself (slide 8 – 9).

• One set contains the answers below the

questions
(slide 10 – 12).

Please remove as appropriate.

Example Question 1
Find the possible values of θ and hence
find the areas of the possible triangles. 10.0cm

8.2cm

42° θ

Not to scale
Example Question 2
Find the area of the following segment.

m 7c
86°

5.
Not to scale
Example Question 1
Find the possible values of θ and hence
find the areas of the possible triangles. 10.0cm

8.2cm

42° θ

Not to scale

We know that we need to use the sine rule in this case, as there are two
pairs of corresponding angles and sides given. We can substitute these
into the sine rule.

θ = sin-1

θ = 54.7º or 125.3° (1d.p.)

Either of these values for θ will create a triangle which we can find the
area of using the sine rule for area:

10.0cm 10.0cm 83.3°

8.2cm
8.2cm

42° 125.3° 42° 54.7°

Area = (8.2)(10.0)sin(12.7º) Area = (8.2)(10.0)sin(83.3º)

Area = 9.01cm2 (3s.f.) Area = 40.7cm2 (3s.f.)
 Example Question 2
Find the area of the following segment.

m 7c
86°

5.
Not to scale
We can find the area of the whole sector by considering what fraction of a circle
we have been given.
Area of sector = πr2
= π(5.7)2
= 24.38…

The area of the triangle can be calculated using the sine rule for
area. The lengths around the angle 86º are both radii and therefore
both 5.7cm.

Area = (5.7)2sin(86º)
= 16.20…

Area of segment = Area of sector – Area of triangle

= 8.18cm (3s.f.)

This can be generalised to give.

Area of segment = πr2 – r2sinθ
YOUR TURN
Your turn:

1. For each of the following triangles, find any missing sides or angles. Give
your answers to 3 significant figures.

a. b. c.

2. Find the area of the following triangles. Give your answers to 3 significant
figures.
a. b.
Your turn:
3. Find any missing sides or angles and the area of the following triangle.

4. Find the missing angles in a triangle where a = 8.5cm, A = 63.0º and b =

9.25cm, giving your answers to 1 decimal place.

5. What is the difference between the areas of the largest and smallest triangle
that could be created from a triangle where a = 5cm, A = 42º and b = 7cm.
Your turn:

6. Two ropes are attached from the top of a building to

the base and top of a 15m pole. The rope attached to
the base of the pole forms an angle of 70º with the
ground. The rope attached to the top of the pole
descends from the building at an angle of 55º.
a. Find the height of the building.
b. Find the length of the rope between the building
and the top of the pole.

7. The area of the following segment is 1.94m2. Find the length of the chord that
creates the segment.
Your turn:

8. A Reuleaux triangle is formed from an equilateral triangle, with sectors of a

circle formed at each vertex of the triangle. The equilateral triangle's sides
are equal then to the radii of the sectors.

Show that the area of a Reuleaux triangle (shown below) with inner triangle
sides of x is given by (π – ).

Challenge
1. The following triangle has an area of cm 2. Find the perimeter of the triangle,
given cosθ = .
Your turn:
Challenge
1. The following triangle has an area of cm 2. Find the perimeter of the triangle,
given cosθ = .

2. The cross-section of a prism is formed from a sector with a triangle cut

away. Find the surface area and volume of this prism with the following
dimensions:

NB x ≠ y
Answers
:
1. For each of the following triangles, find any missing sides or angles. Give
your answers to 3 significant figures.

a. b. c.

A = cos-1 =a=
a2 = 72 + 62 – 2(7)(6)cos(97º)
= 114º a2 = 95.23… a = 8.88cm

= a = 9.76cm

B = sin-1 B = 50º
= =
= 41.8º
B = sin-1 b=
= 37.6º b = 9.97cm
C = 24.2º

C = 45.4º
Answers
:
2. Find the area of the following triangles. Give your answers to 3 significant
figures.
a. b.

Area = (7) A = cos-1

(9)sin(82º) = 95.7º
= 31.2º
Area = (5.2)
(6.1)sin(95.7º)
= 15.8cm2
Answers
:

3. Find any missing sides or angles and the area of the following triangle.

=
B = sin-1
= 39.8º

A = 108º
a2 = 9.12 + 11.02 – 2(9.1)(11.0)cos(108.1…
º)
a2 = 266.2…
a = 16.3cm (3s.f.)

Area = (11.0)(9.1)sin(108.1…º)
= 47.6cm2 (3s.f.)
Answers
:

4. Find the missing angles in a triangle where a = 8.5cm, A = 63.0º and b =

9.25cm, giving your answers to 1 decimal place.
=
B = sin-1

B = 75.8º and C = 41.2º

or
B = 104.2º and C = 12.8º
Answers
:

5. What is the difference between the areas of the largest and smallest triangle
that could be created from a triangle where a = 5cm, A = 42º and b = 7cm.
=
B = sin-1
= 69.51…º or 110.48…º

Giving values for C of 68.48…º or 27.51…º

Area of triangle = (5)(7)sin(68.48…º)

= 16.28…
or
Area of triangle = (5)(7)sin(27.51…º)
= 8.08…

Difference = 16.28… – 8.08…

= 8.19cm2 (3s.f.)
Answers
:

6. Two ropes are attached from the top of a building to

the base and top of a 15m pole. The rope attached to
the base of the pole forms an angle of 70º with the
ground. The rope attached to the top of the pole
descends from the building at an angle of 55º.

a. Find the height of the building.

Length of rope to base of pole = x

=
x=
x = 33.2

Building height = h
= cos(20º)
h = 33.2cos(20º)
h = 31.2m
Answers
:

b. Find the length of the rope between the building and the top of the pole.
Length of rope to top of pole = y
=
y=
y = 19.8m
Answers
:

7. The area of the following segment is 1.94m2. Find the length of the chord that
creates the segment.
Area of sector = πr2
Area of triangle = r2sin(52º)
Area of segment = πr2 – r2sin(52º)
1.94 = πr2 – r2sin(52º)
1.94 = r2
r2 =
r2 = 32.45…
r = 5.70m (3s.f.)

Chord length
a2 = b2 + c2 – 2bc cos A
a2 = 5.702 + 5.702 – 2(5.70)(5.70)cos(52º)
a = 4.99m (3s.f.)
Answers
:
8. A Reuleaux triangle is formed from an equilateral triangle, with sectors of a
circle formed at each vertex of the triangle. The equilateral triangle's sides
are equal then to the radii of the sectors.

Show that the area of a Reuleaux triangle (shown below) with inner triangle
sides of x is given by (π – ).
Area of triangle in centre = x2sin(60º)
=
Area of segment
= πx2 –
= –
Total Area =
3(segments) + triangle
= 3( – ) +
= – +
= –
= (π – )
Answers
:
Challenge
1. The following triangle has an area of cm 2. Find the perimeter of the triangle,
given cosθ = .

cosθ =
sinθ = = (Using Pythagoras’ theorem to
find the missing value)

Area of triangle:
(x + 4)(x + 2) =
x2 + 6x + 8 = 63
x2 + 6x – 55 = 0
x = 5 or x = -11

From the context of the question, x = 5 and

therefore the perimeter is 21cm.
Answers
:
NB x ≠ y
Challenge
2. The cross-section of a prism is formed from a
sector with a triangle cut away. Find the surface
area and volume of this prism with the
following dimensions:
Triangle removed from =
cross-section sector: y = = 7.88…

=
z = = 10.55…

Volume of Prism
Cross-section area = π(152) – (15)
(10.55…)sin(30º)
= 19.32…
Volume = 19.32… × 12
= 232cm 3 (3s.f.)
Answers
:

Surface Area of Prism

Cross-section area = 19.3

Arc length = (2)π(15)

= 2.5π

Curved face area = 2.5π × 12 = 30π

Base rectangular area = (15 – 10.55…) × 12 = 53.35…
Other rectangular area = 7.88… × 12 = 94.63…

Total Surface Area = 19.32… + 19.32… + 30π + 53.35… +

94.63…
= 281cm2 (3s.f.)