Using the Sine Rule

Prior Knowledge:
• Trigonometry in right-angled triangles.
• Trigonometric graphs.
• Rearranging a formula.

Right-angled trigonometry allows you to find a missing angle or side in a right-angled triangle when
given two sides, or an angle and a side. However, you can also use the trigonometric functions to
find a missing side or angle in any triangle. One way to do this is by using the sine rule. The sine
rule states that, within a triangle, the ratio of the sine of each angle to the length of their opposite
sides is always equal. This can be written like this:

a b c
sin(A)
= sin(B) = sin(C)

Where a, b and c are the lengths of the three sides, and A, B and C are the sizes of the respective
opposite angles. If you take the reciprocal of each fraction, the formula will look like this:

sin(A) sin(B) sin(C)

a
= b
= c

While this may look complicated, you will rarely need all three parts of the sine rule to solve a
problem.

Example 1: Find the length of side z. Give your answer correct to 2d.p.

100°
z

30°
8cm

Start by labelling the sides and angles. (You can choose which side to label a and b. Just make sure
angle A is opposite side a, and angle B is opposite side b.):

100°
b A
z

B
30°
8cm
a

Notice that we have only labelled two pairs of sides and angles; we haven’t labelled side c or angle
C. This is because we only need two pairs to answer this question. This simplifies the sine rule
formula:
a b
=
sin(A) sin(B)

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Next, we substitute our values:
8 z
=
sin(100°) sin(30°)

Then, rearrange:
8 × sin(30°)
z = sin(100°) multiply both sides by sin(30°)

Calculating the answer gives:

z = 4.0617…
z = 4.06cm (to 2d.p.)

We can also use the sine rule to find a missing angle:

Example 2: Find the size of angle z. Give your answer correct to 3.s.f.

4cm 6cm

z 35°

Again, we start by labelling the sides and angles of interest:

a b
4cm 6cm

zB A 35°

Because we are looking for an angle, it is easier to write the sine rule like this:
sin(A) sin(B)
a = b

We substitute our values and solve as before:

sin(35°) sin(z)
4
= 6
6 × sin(35°)
sin(z) = 4
multiply both sides by 6

Use inverse sine to find the value of z:

z = sin-1(0.860…)
z = 59.4° (to 3s.f.)

You need to be careful when using the sine rule to find a missing angle. If sin(x) = y then you
would use the inverse sine function to give x = sin-1(y).
However, in a non-right-angled triangle, sin-1(y) will have two values: one between 0° and 90°,
the other between 90° and 180°. You must make sure you take the context of the question into
account when choosing your answer.
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 Using the Sine Rule
Example 3: Find the size of obtuse angle x. Give your answer correct to the nearest degree.

x
40m

15°
110m

We start as usual. Label the sides and angles of interest, substitute into the formula and
rearrange:

b x
40m A

B 15°
110m
a
sin(A) sin(B)
a = b
sin(x) sin(15°)
110
= 40
110 × sin(15°)
sin(x) = 40

x = sin-1(0.711…)

x = 45.377…° (or 45° to the nearest degree)

At this point, the working is correct but the answer is wrong. The question specifies that x is an
obtuse angle, while our answer is less than 90° and, therefore, not obtuse.
Consider this sketch of the sine function:
y
1
45° 45°

x
90 180 270 360

-1

The horizontal dashed line shows sin-1(0.711…). We are interested in the point where it crosses
the graph between 90° and 180°. We know the point on the left is 45° more than 0°, so the point
on the right must be 45° less than 180° (marked by a dotted line).
Therefore:
x = 180 – 45
x = 135° (to the nearest degree)

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 Using the Sine Rule

Your turn
1. In each question, calculate the value x. Give your answers correct to 1d.p.

a. b.

60°
100km 130km
80cm 50°
x x 45°

 

 

 

 

 

c. d.
50° 7mm 115°
x
35°
80° x
3.5km

 

 

 

 

 

e. f.
x
60°
4.2mm 12cm

70° 70°
2.3mm x

 

 

 

 

 

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 Using the Sine Rule
2. Find the size of each obtuse angle, x. Give your answers correct to 1d.p.

a. b.

x 20m
8.3m
13m
40° x
30°
10.5m

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3. Find the length of side z, to the nearest centimetre:

4cm

50° 35°
z

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 Using the Sine Rule
4. Barnsley is due north of Sheffield. Doncaster is on a bearing of 037° from Sheffield (roughly
north-east). The bearing of Doncaster from Barnsley is 070°. If Doncaster is 30km from
Sheffield, in a straight line, how far is Barnsley from Doncaster? Give your answer correct to
1d.p.


5. A triangle has two known sides. One is 15cm, the other is 12cm. The angle opposite the 15cm
side is 30°. The angle opposite the 12cm side is unknown. What are the values of the two
missing angles? Give each angle to the nearest degree.


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 Using the Sine Rule
6. Find the size of obtuse angle x, correct to 1d.p.

70°

11m

30° x 65°
8m

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