9

Mathematics
Quarter 4 – Module 6:
Illustrating Law of Sines

MELC:
Illustrate law of sines (M9GE-IVf-g-1).
 The concepts of Pythagorean Theorem and The Six Trigonometric Ratios are limited only in solving right
triangles. These concepts are no longer applicable in solving triangles which are not right triangles.

An oblique triangle is a triangle which does not contain any right angle. Oblique triangles
may be classified into two—acute and obtuse.
An acute triangle is a triangle whose angles are all less than 90° while an obtuse triangle is
a triangle in which one of the angles is more than 90°.
In solving oblique triangle, two laws can be applied – the Law of Sines and the Law of Cosines.

THE LAW OF SINES

The Law of Sine is applicable in solving all kinds of triangles including right triangles. It is
easy to follow and very useful in solving oblique triangles when you know the following
information:
a) two angles and one side (SAA Case & ASA Case); and,
b) two sides and an angle opposite one of these sides (SSA Case).
Examples:
1. SAA Case – two angles and a side opposite one of them (non-included side) are given.
Solve for the missing parts of ∆𝐴𝐵𝐶 at the right.Solution:
𝑎 𝑏 𝑐
= =
𝑠𝑖𝑛 𝐴 𝑠𝑖𝑛 𝐵 𝑠𝑖𝑛 𝐶
29 𝑏 𝑐
= =
𝑠𝑖𝑛 650 𝑠𝑖𝑛 260 𝑠𝑖𝑛 𝐶

We observe that the three ratios are incomplete with side measures and an angle measure.
Determine the missing angle by applying the Triangle Sum Theorem (The sum of the interior angles of a
triangle is 180 0)
1800 = 180 0 = m∠𝐴 + m∠𝐵 + m∠𝐶 Substitute the given angle measures.
0 0 0
180 = 65 + 26 + m∠𝐶 Simplify.
1800 = m∠𝐶 + 910
−910 + 1800 = m∠𝐶
890 = m ∠𝐶
Since we already have a ratio with angle measure and side measure, we are able now to
equate this ratio to other ratios withmissing sides.
 9 𝑏 𝑐
= =
𝑠𝑖𝑛 65° 26° 𝑠𝑖𝑛89°
To solve for side b:

29 𝑏
= Apply Fundamental Rule of Proportion
sin 650 sin 260

(29)(𝑠𝑖𝑛260 )
= b Simplify using your scientific calculator
𝑠𝑖𝑛650

(29)(0.4384)
= b
0.9063

14.03 = b Round off your answer to the nearest hundredths

To solve for c:
29 𝑐
0 = Apply Fundamental Rule of Proportion
sin 65 sin 890

(29)(𝑠𝑖𝑛890 )
= c Simplify using your scientific calculator
𝑠𝑖𝑛650

(29)(0.9998)
= c
0.9063
31.99 = c Round off your answer to the nearest hundredths
2. ASA Case – two angles and a side between them (included side)are given.
Solve for the missing parts of ∆𝐴𝐵𝐶 below.Solution:
𝑎 𝑏 𝑐
= =
𝑠𝑖𝑛 𝐴 𝑠𝑖𝑛 𝐵 𝑠𝑖𝑛 𝐶
24 𝑏 𝑐
= =
𝑠𝑖𝑛 A 𝑠𝑖𝑛 730 𝑠𝑖𝑛 220
Determine the missing angle by applying the Triangle SumTheorem.
1800 = m∠𝐴 + m∠𝐵 + m∠𝐶
1800 = m∠𝐴 + 730 + 220
1800 = m∠𝐴 + 950
−950 + 1800 = m∠𝐴
850 = m∠𝐴
Since we already have a ratio with angle measure and side measure, we are able now to equate this ratio to
other ratios withmissing sides.
24 𝑏 𝑐
0 = 0 =
𝑠𝑖𝑛 85 𝑠𝑖𝑛 73 𝑠𝑖𝑛 220
3. SSA Case – two sides and an angle opposite one of them (non-included angle) are given. This
case leads to the following possibilities:

A. If the given angle is obtuse or a right angle:

i. If ∠𝐴 is an obtuse or a right angle, and 𝑎 > 𝑏, then there isexactly one solution
Example:
Solve for the missing parts of the triangle given the followingsides and angle measure.
𝑎 = 22; 𝑏 = 14; ∠𝐴 = 1100
Since the side opposite the given angle is greater than the other given side (22>14), only
one triangle can be formed from the given sides and angle. Therefore, one set of solutions can be
derived from the given information.
Draw the triangle:
Set up the necessary proportion:
𝑎 𝑏 𝑐
=
𝑠𝑖𝑛𝐴 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝐵 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝐶
22 14 𝑐
=
𝑠𝑖𝑛1100 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝐵 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝐶

To solve for m∠B: To solve for m∠C, apply the Triangle Sum Theorem
22 14
= 1800 = m∠A + m∠B + m∠C
𝑠𝑖𝑛1100 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝐵

(22)(𝑠𝑖𝑛 𝐵) = (14)(𝑠𝑖𝑛 1100) 1800 = 1100 + 36.730 + m∠C

𝐵 = 36.730 33.270 = m∠C

𝑎 𝑐
To solve for side c: =
𝑠𝑖𝑛𝐴 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝐶
22 𝑐
=
𝑠𝑖𝑛110 0 𝑠𝑖𝑛 33.27 0
(22)(𝑠𝑖𝑛33.270 (22)(0.5486)
𝑐= = = 12.84
𝑠𝑖𝑛 1100 0.9397
ii. If ∠𝐴 is an obtuse or a right angle, and 𝑎 ≤ 𝑏, then there is nosolution.

Example:
Solve for the missing parts of the triangle given the followingsides and angle measures.
𝑏 = 25; 𝑐 = 20; ∠𝐶 = 1300
Solution:
Since the side opposite the given angle is less than the other given side (20<25), no triangle can be
formed from the given sides and angle. Therefore no solutions can be derived from the given
information.
 Set up the necessary proportion:
𝑎 𝑏 𝑐 25 20
= = Solve for m<B: =
sin 𝐴 sin 𝐵 sin 𝐶 sin 𝐵 sin 130
𝑎 25 20 25 sin 130
= = sin B =
sin 𝐴 sin 𝐵 sin 130 20
(25)(0.7660) −1
B = sin( )
20
0
B = 73.24
Solve for m<A, Apply the Triangle Sum Theorem
1800 = ∠𝐴 + ∠𝐵 + ∠𝐶
1800 = ∠𝐴 + 73.240 + 1300
1800 = ∠𝐴 + 203.240
−203.240 + 1800 = ∠𝐴
−23.240 = ∠𝐴
We can’t have a negative angle because no triangle exists with a negative interior angle.
B.If the given angle is acute:
i. If ∠𝐴 is an acute angle, 𝑎 ≥ 𝑏, then there is exactly one solution.

Example:
Solve for the missing parts of the triangle given the followingsides and angle measures.
𝑎 = 50; 𝑐 = 70; ∠𝐶 = 400
Since the side opposite the given angle is greater than the other given side (70>50), only
one triangle can be formed from the given sides and angle. Therefore, one set of solutions can be
derived from the given information.

Set up the necessary proportion: then solve for the unknown parts
𝑎 𝑏 𝑐
= =
𝑠𝑖𝑛 𝐴 𝑠𝑖𝑛 𝐵 𝑠𝑖𝑛 𝐶
50 𝑏 70
= =
𝑠𝑖𝑛 𝐴 𝑠𝑖𝑛 𝐵 𝑠𝑖𝑛 400

ii. If ∠ is an acute angle, 𝑎 < 𝑏, and 𝑎 = 𝑏𝑠𝑖𝑛𝐴, then there isexactly one solution.

iii. If ∠𝐴 is an acute angle, 𝑎 < 𝑏, and 𝑎 < 𝑏𝑠𝑖𝑛𝐴, then there is nosolution.
 Example:
Solve for the missing parts of the triangle given the followingsides and angle measures.
𝑎 = 30; 𝑏 = 80; ∠𝐴 = 500
Since the side opposite the given angle is less than the othergiven side (14<20), and
𝑎 < 𝑏𝑠𝑖𝑛𝐴
30 < (80)(𝑠𝑖𝑛50)
30 < (80)(0.7660)
30 < 61.28
therefore, no triangle can be formed from the given sides andangle. The following figure will
be formed with the giveninformation.

iv. If ∠𝐴 is an acute angle, 𝑎 < 𝑏, and 𝑎 > 𝑏𝑠𝑖𝑛𝐴, then, there are exactly two solutions. This case
is an ambiguous case because it has two possible solutions.
Example:
Solve for the missing parts of the triangle given the followingsides and angle measure.
𝑏 = 14; 𝑐 = 20; ∠𝐵 = 400

Since the side opposite the given angle is less than the othergiven side (14<20),
and 𝑏 > 𝑐𝑠𝑖𝑛𝐵
14 > (20)( 𝑠𝑖𝑛40)
14 > (20)(0.6428)
14 > 12.86
two triangles can be formed from the given sides and angle. Therefore, two sets of solutions can
be derived from the given information.
Set up the necessary proportion:
𝑎 14 20
= =
𝑠𝑖𝑛 𝐴 𝑠𝑖𝑛 400 𝑠𝑖𝑛 𝐶