The Law of

Cosines
Let's consider types of triangles with the three pieces of
information shown below.
We can't use the Law of Sines on these because we don't have an angle and a
side opposite it. We need another method for SAS and SSS triangles.

SAS
You may have a side, an angle, AAA
and then another side
You may have all three angles.

This case doesn't determine a

SSS triangle because similar triangles
have the same angles and shape
You may have all three sides but "blown up" or "shrunk down"
 Law of Cosines

Use these to find

LAW OF COSINES missing sides and angles

c 2  a 2  b 2  2ab cos C
b 2  a 2  c 2  2ac cos 
B
a 2  b 2  c 2  2bc cos 
A

a
b

B
A c
 Example 1.
Solve a triangle where b = 1, c = 3 and A = 80° B
3
Draw a picture. a
80 °
This is SAS A C
1
a  b  c  2bc cos A
2 2 2
minus 2 times the
One side squared sum of each of times the cosine of
the other sides product the angle
squared of those between
other sides those sides
Do we know an angle and side
opposite it? Hint: we will be solving for the
side opposite the angle we
No, so we must use Law of know.
Cosines.
 Example 1.Solve a triangle where b = 1, c = 3 and A = 80°
B
3 a

80 ° C
A
1

a  b  c  2bc cos A
2 2 2

minus 2 times the

sum of each of times the cosine of
One side squared the other sides product the angle
squared of those between
other sides those sides

a  1 3  213cos 80
2 2 2

a = 2.99
 We'll label side a with the value we found.
B
We now have all of the sides but how can we
3 
18.85°
find an angle? 2.99

Hint: We have an angle and 80° 

81.15°
a side opposite it. A C
1

sin 80 sin C Angle  is easy to find


2.99 3 since the sum of the
angles is a triangle is 180°
3sin 80
 
C  80.8 180 - 80- 81.15 = 18.85
2.99

C = 81.15° B = 18.85°
 Example #2
Solve a triangle where a = 5, b = 8 and c = 9

Draw a picture. This is SSS

B
Do we know an angle and side
opposite it? 9 5
No, so we must use Law of
Cosines.
84.3
A C
8
Let's use largest side to find c  a  b  2ab cos C
2 2 2
largest angle first.
Example #2
B
9
5
C = 84.3° 
84.3
A C
8
c  a  b  2ab cos C
2 2 2
minus 2 times the
sum of each of times the cosine of
One side squared the other sides product the angle
squared of those between
other sides those sides

9  5  8  258 cos C
2 2 2

81  89  80 cos 
C
8  1 
cos C    cos
C
1
   84.3
 80  10 
 Example #2
B
9 
62.2
Do we know an angle and 5
side opposite it?

33.5 84.3
A C
Yes, so use Law of Sines. 8

sin 84.3 sin B


A  180  84.3  62.2  33.5
9 8
A = 33.5°
8sin 84.3
 sin B
9
1  8sin 84.3 
B  sin    62.2
 9 
B = 62.2°
Solve:
• 1.) b = 40, c = 45, A = 51°
a = 36.87, B = 57.47°, C = 71.53°
• 2. ) B= 42°, a= 120, c=160
b = 107.07, A = 48.58°, C = 89.42°
• 3. ) a =20, b= 12, c = 28
B = 21.79°, A = 89.79°, C = 120°
• 4.) a= 15, b= 18, c = 17
B = 68.12°, A = 50.66°, C = 61.22°