8.

SOLVING OBLIQUE TRIANGLES: THE LAW OF COSINES

When two sides and the included angle (SAS) or three sides (SSS) of a triangle are
given, we cannot apply the law of sines to solve the triangle. In such cases, the law of
cosines may be applied.

Theorem 8.1: The Law of Cosines

In the general triangle ABC , the square of the length of any side
is equal to the sum of the squares of the lengths of the other two sides
minus twice the product of those side lengths times the cosine of the
angle between them.
C

c 2  a 2  b 2  2ab cos 
b 
b 2  a 2  c 2  2ac cos  a
a 2  b 2  c 2  2bc cos 

 
A B
c

To prove the theorem, we place triangle ABC in a coordinate plane with

vertices labeled counterclockwise and so that one side lies on the positive x axis
and one vertex is at O.
Suppose that A is at ( 0 , 0 ) . Then B = ( c , 0 ) and C = ( b cos  , b sin  ).
2
Thus, BC = ( b cos   c ) 2  ( b sin  ) 2 = a 2 .

b 2 cos 2   2 bc cos   c 2  b 2 sin 2   a 2 .

So a 2  b 2  c 2  2 bc cos  .

y C = ( b cos  , b sin  )

b 
a

 

A c B=(c,0) x

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 Now rotate the triangle so that B is at the origin and C is on the positive x axis.

An analogous argument now gives

b 2 = a 2 + c 2 − 2 a c cos β .

When C is at the origin, we find

a 2 = b 2 + c 2 − 2 b c cos α .

Example 8.1 ---------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------

SAS case: Solve the triangle UABC if α = 60 o , b = 14, c = 10.
C
Since a 2 = b 2 + c 2 − 2bc cos α
= (14 ) 2 + (10 ) 2 − 2(14 )(10 ) cos( 60 o )
= 196 + 100 - 140
a 2 = 156 14
⇒ a = 12.49.

It is geometrically evident that

β is acute and by the law of sines 60 o
A B
sin 60 o sin β ⎛ 14 ⎞⎛⎜ 3 ⎞⎟ 7 3 10
= ⇒ sinβ = ⎜ ⎟ =
12.49 14 ⎝ 12.49 ⎠⎜⎝ 2 ⎟⎠ 12.49

⎛ 7 3 ⎞
⇒ β = arcsin ⎜ ⎟ = 76.10 o .
⎜ 12.49 ⎟
⎝ ⎠

Then γ = 180 o − 60 o − 76.10 o = 43.90 o .

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Example 8.2 ---------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------

SSS case: Solve the triangle UABC if a = 5, b = 6, c = 7.

a 2 = b 2 + c 2 − 2bc cos α
C
25 = 36 + 49 − 2(6)(7) cos α
60 5
25 = 85 − 84 cos α ⇒ cos α = =
84 7 6 5
⎛5⎞
⇒ α = arccos⎜ ⎟ = 44.42 o
⎝7⎠

Note: there is no other angle θ for which: A 7 B

5
0 o < θ < 180 o and cos θ = .
7

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Then by the law of sines

sin 44.42 o sin  6

  sin    sin 44.42 o
5 6 5

 6  
   arcsin    sin 44.42 o   57.13 o . Clearly,  must be acute.
 5  

Then  = 180 o  44.42 o  57.13 o = 78.45 o .

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Theorem 8.2: Heron’s Area Formula

The area of a triangle with sides a , b and c

abc b a
and semiperimeter s = has area A
2 h = b sin 
given by A= s ( s  a ) ( s  b) ( s  c ) .


The proof follows from the law of cosines expressed in the form:

2 2 2
2 bc cos  = b  c  a

2 2 2 2 1
Note that A = 1 ch = 1 bc sin   A  4 b c sin  .
2 2

Now we may obtain the desired formula by algebraic manipulation.

1 1
A2  b 2 c 2 sin 2   b 2c 2 ( 1  cos 2  )
4 4

1
 ( 2bc ) ( 1  cos  ) ( 2bc ) ( 1  cos  )
16

1
 ( 2bc  b 2  c 2  a 2 ) ( 2bc  b 2  c 2  a 2 )
16

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 ⎛1⎞
= ⎜ ⎟ ⋅ ⎡ (b + c ) 2 − a 2 ⎤ ⋅ ⎡ a 2 − (b − c ) 2 ⎤
⎝ 16 ⎠ ⎢⎣ ⎥⎦ ⎢⎣ ⎥⎦

(b + c + a ) (b + c − a ) (a − b + c) (a + b − c)
= ⋅ ⋅ ⋅
2 2 2 2

⎡a + b + c⎤ ⎡a + b + c ⎤ ⎡a + b + c ⎤ ⎡a + b + c ⎤
=⎢ ⎥ ⋅ ⎢ − a⎥ ⋅ ⎢ − b⎥ ⋅ ⎢ − c⎥
⎣ 2 ⎦ ⎣ 2 ⎦ ⎣ 2 ⎦ ⎣ 2 ⎦

A 2 = s ( s − a ) ( s − b) ( s − c ) .

Section 8 Problems--------------- ------- -----------------------------------------------------------

In problems 1 to 5 use the law of cosines to find the specified part of the triangle UABC.
Round off angles to the nearest hundredth of a degree and side lengths to four significant
digits.

1. Find c if a = 3, b = 10, γ = 60 o .
2. Find a if b = 3.2, c = 2.4, α = 117 o .
3. Find β if a = 200, b = 50, c = 177.

4. Find a if b = 68, c = 14 and α = 24.5 o .

5. Find γ if a = 2, b = 3 and c = 4.

6. Find the length of side AB in the quadrilateral shown

in the figure.

In problems 7 through 9 use Heron’s Formula to find the

area of the triangle.
7. Find the area of a right triangle with sides 3, 4, and 5.
8. Find the area of the triangle with sides 31, 42, and 53.
9. Find the area of the triangle with sides 5.9, 6.7, and 10.3.
10. Use the answer you obtained in problem 8 to find the length h of the
shortest altitude of the triangle with sides 31, 42, and 53.

11. A highway cuts a corner from a parcel of land. Find the number of
acres in the triangular lot ABC. (Note: 1 acre = 43,560 ft 2 .)

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