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16 2 Solving Aas Triangles

This document describes how to solve triangles given an angle-angle-side (AAS) configuration by using the property that angles in a triangle sum to 180 degrees to find the unknown angle, and then using the Law of Sines to find the unknown sides. It provides two example problems worked through this process, and notes that it is better to use the given sides and angles rather than calculated values when applying the Law of Sines to avoid propagating errors.

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74 views3 pages

16 2 Solving Aas Triangles

This document describes how to solve triangles given an angle-angle-side (AAS) configuration by using the property that angles in a triangle sum to 180 degrees to find the unknown angle, and then using the Law of Sines to find the unknown sides. It provides two example problems worked through this process, and notes that it is better to use the given sides and angles rather than calculated values when applying the Law of Sines to avoid propagating errors.

Uploaded by

api-299265916
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Solving AAS Triangles

"AAS" means "Angle, Angle, Side"

"AAS" is when we know two angles and


one side (which is not between the
angles).

To solve an AAS triangle

use the three angles add to 180 to find the other angle

then The Law of Sines to find each of the other two sides.

Example 1

In this triangle we know:

angle A = 35

angle C = 62

and side c = 7

It's easy to find angle B by using 'angles of a triangle add to 180':


B = 180 35 62 = 83

We can also find side a by using The Law of Sines:


a/sin A = c/sin C
a/sin(35) = 7/sin(62)
a = (7 sin(35))/sin(62)
a = 4.55 to 2 decimal places
Also we can find b by using The Law of Sines:
b/sin B = c/sin C
b/sin(83) = 7/sin(62)
b = (7 sin(83))/sin(62)
b = 7.87 to 2 decimal places
Now we have completely solved the triangle!
Did you notice that we used b/sin B = c/sin C rather than b/sin B = a/sin A for the last
calculation?
There's a good reason for that. What if we made a mistake when finding a? Then our
answer for bwould also be wrong!
As a rule, it is always better to use the sides and angles that are given rather than
ones we've just worked out.

Example 2

This is also an AAS triangle.


First find angle A by using 'angles of a triangle add to 180':

A = 180 41 105 = 34

Now find side c by using The Law of Sines:

c/sin C = b/sin B
c/sin(41) = 12.6/sin(105)
c = (12.6 sin(41))/sin(105)
c = 8.56 to 2 decimal places

Similarly we can find side a by using The Law of Sines and using the given side b = 12.6
rather than c that we just worked out:

a/sin A = b/sin B
a/sin(34) = 12.6/sin(105)
a = (12.6 sin(34))/sin(105)
a = 7.29 to 2 decimal places

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