4.6.4
Triangle Formulae
Area of a Triangle
Area of a Triangle
We can use the formula: area of a triangle = 1⁄2ab sin(C).


Formula
Formula
- Area of a triangle = 1⁄2ab sin(C) since the vertical height is b sin(C).
- This formula can also be used to calculate the side length of a triangle whose area is known.


Example
Example
- If we are given a triangle with two sides of 8cm and 10cm and the area is 20cm2, we can calculate the angle between the sides as follows:
- 20 = 1⁄2 × 8 × 10 × sin(C)
- 20 = 40 × sin(C)
- sin(C) = 1⁄2
- C = 30°
Sine and Cosine Rules
Sine and Cosine Rules
We can use the sine and cosine rules to calculate angles and lengths in triangles.


Labelling triangles
Labelling triangles
- Use lowercase letters for the sides and capital letters for the angles opposite each side.


Swapping A, B and C
Swapping A, B and C
- Note that the cosine rule can be written for the other angles too:
- c2 = a2 + b2 - 2ab cos C
- b2 = a2 + c2 - 2ac cos B
1Numbers
1.1Integers
1.3Decimals
1.4Powers & Roots
1.5Set Language & Notation
1.6Percentages
1.7Ratio & Proportion
2Equations, Formulae & Identities
2.1Algebraic Manipulation
2.2Expressions & Formulae
2.3Linear Equations
2.4Quadratic Equations
2.5Proportion
3Sequences, Functions & Graphs
3.1Sequences
3.3Graphs
3.4Common Graphs
4Geometry
4.1Angles, Lines & Triangles
4.2Polygons
4.5Circle Properties
4.6Trigonometry & Pythagoras’ theorem
4.7Mensuration of 2D Shapes
4.83D Shapes & Volume
5Vectors & Transformation Geometry
6Statistics & Probability
6.1Statistical Measures
6.2Graphical Representation of Data
Jump to other topics
1Numbers
1.1Integers
1.3Decimals
1.4Powers & Roots
1.5Set Language & Notation
1.6Percentages
1.7Ratio & Proportion
2Equations, Formulae & Identities
2.1Algebraic Manipulation
2.2Expressions & Formulae
2.3Linear Equations
2.4Quadratic Equations
2.5Proportion
3Sequences, Functions & Graphs
3.1Sequences
3.3Graphs
3.4Common Graphs
4Geometry
4.1Angles, Lines & Triangles
4.2Polygons
4.5Circle Properties
4.6Trigonometry & Pythagoras’ theorem
4.7Mensuration of 2D Shapes
4.83D Shapes & Volume
5Vectors & Transformation Geometry
6Statistics & Probability
6.1Statistical Measures
6.2Graphical Representation of Data
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