Scribd
Upload
80 views4 pages

1 1 A (Base) (Height) BH 2 2 : Area of An Oblique Triangle - Side Angle Side Area of A Triangle

This document discusses how to find the area of an oblique triangle given one side length and two adjacent angles using trigonometry. It provides examples of applying the formula A = 1/2 * a * b * sin(C) where a and b are sides and C is the angle between them. For cases where only two sides and a non-included angle are given, the Law of Sines must be used first to find the third side or angle before applying the area formula.

Uploaded by

Tikus Fruy
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
80 views4 pages

1 1 A (Base) (Height) BH 2 2 : Area of An Oblique Triangle - Side Angle Side Area of A Triangle

This document discusses how to find the area of an oblique triangle given one side length and two adjacent angles using trigonometry. It provides examples of applying the formula A = 1/2 * a * b * sin(C) where a and b are sides and C is the angle between them. For cases where only two sides and a non-included angle are given, the Law of Sines must be used first to find the third side or angle before applying the area formula.

Uploaded by

Tikus Fruy
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 4

Area of an Oblique Triangle – Side Angle Side

Area of a Triangle
The formula for the area of a triangle is shown below, but what must we true if we plan to use this formula?
1 1
A= (base)(height) = bh
2 2
The base and the height must meet at a 90° angle, that is, the base and height must be perpendicular to each
other to apply this formula. However, we are not always given the base and the height. Consider the
following example.
Example 1: If b = 10, c = 15, and ∡A = 50°, find the area of triangle ∆ABC.
Draw and label the triangle.

The height, h, has been drawn in blue.

Find the value of h.


h
sin 50 =
10 Use sine to find the value of h by cross multiplying.
h = 10sin 50
h  7.7
Find the area.
1
A = (15)(7.7)
2
= 57.75
In finding the area of the triangle, we used sine to find the height and then we were able to find the area of the
triangle. Let’s look at the same problem again without using any numbers to see if there is some sort of short cut
we can take advantage of for future use.
Example 2: If b = b, c = c, and ∡A = A°, find the area of triangle ∆ABC.
Draw and label the triangle.

The height, h, has been drawn in blue.

Area of an Oblique Triangle by Side Angle Side – Pike Page 1 of 4


Find the value of h.
h
sin A =
b Use sine to find the value of h by cross multiplying.
h = bsin A
Find the area.
1
A = c(b sin A)
2
1
A = bcsin A
2
The equation gives us a way to find the area of the triangle without needing to find the height of the triangle.
This means we can find the area of oblique triangles without needing to create right triangles.

Area of a Triangle
1
A= ab sin C
2
1
A = ac sin B
2
1
A = bc sin A
2

These formulas can be applied to any triangle, even right triangles. If we have a right triangle, we do not
need to use these formulas, we should use the standard formula for the area of a triangle we have always
used. Note: This formula only works of you have two sides and the angle between the two sides, SAS (side,
angle, side). Let’s try a few examples.

Example 3: If a = 22, b = 28, and ∡C = 75°, find the area of triangle ∆ABC.
Draw and label the triangle.

Determine if the formula applies. We can use the


formula because we have SAS.

Find the area.


1
A = (28)(22)sin 75
2
A  297.5

Area of an Oblique Triangle by Side Angle Side – Pike Page 2 of 4


Example 4: If a = 26, b = 20, and ∡A = 42°, find the area of triangle ∆ABC.
Draw and label the triangle.

Determine if the formula applies. We cannot use the


formula, need to find ∡C first.

Use the Law of Sines to find ∡B.


sin 42 sin B
=
26 20
26sin B = 20sin 42
20sin 42
sin B = Solve by cross multiplying.
26
 20sin 42 
B = sin −1  
 26 
B  31.0
Find ∡C.
∡C = 180° – 42° – 31.0° = 107.0°.
Find the area.
1
A = (20)(26)sin107
2
A  240.6

Example 5: If c = 48, ∡A = 51°, and ∡C = 84°, find the area of triangle ∆ABC.
Draw and label the triangle.

Determine if the formula applies. We cannot use the


formula, need to find b first.

Find ∡B.
∡B = 180° – 84° – 51° = 45°

Area of an Oblique Triangle by Side Angle Side – Pike Page 3 of 4


Find b.
sin 45 sin 84
=
b 48
b sin 84 = 48sin 45
48sin 45
b=
sin 84
b  34.1
Find the area.
1
A = (48)(34.1)sin 51
2
A  636.0

Area of an Oblique Triangle by Side Angle Side – Pike Page 4 of 4

You might also like