Trigonometry 2
Trigonometry 2
Trigonometry 2
O
sin x =
H
A H
cos x = O
H
O x
tan x = x
A
A
Triangles without a right angle A
Label the vertices (or angles) of the triangle with capital
letter.
Label the sides with lower case letters (so that, for example,
c b
side a is opposite angle A etc)
B C
a
Sine rule:
a b c
Use this formula to find a side length: = =
sin A sin B sin C
Cosine rule:
Use this formula to find a side length: a 2 = b 2 + c2 − 2bc cos A
b2 + c2 − a2
Use this formula to find an angle: cos A =
2bc
Use the cosine rule if you know all 3 sides (to find an angle)
OR
if you know 2 sides and the angle in between (to find the 3rd side).
1
Area of a triangle is A = ab sin C
2
sin x
tan x =
cos x
sin x + cos2 x = 1
2
Solving Equations
(3) Add on or subtract 360˚ as many times as necessary to get all solutions in the required range.
1. A triangle ABC, whose largest angle is at B, has sides of lengths 4, 5 and 6 units.
Show by calculation that the largest angle is 82.8˚, correct to 1 d.p.
3. In a quadrilateral ABCD, BC = 6.2 m, AD = 12.5 m, CD = 8.7 m, angle ABC = 62˚ and angle
ACB = 49˚.
4. The diagram shows a pyramid with vertex P. The square base QRST has side 10cm. The
edges PQ, PR, PS, PT are each 13 cm. The centre of the base is M and the midpoint of QR is
N.
Calculate
i) the length QS and the height of the
pyramid,
ii) the angle PRQ,
iii) the angle which PR makes with the base
QRST.
7. Find the values of x in the interval 0 < x < 360˚ which satisfy the equation cos 2 x = −0.4
giving your answers correct to 3 significant figures.