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SPHERICAL TRIGONOMETRY.
A.

W. PHILLIPS,

1889.
Va/e University.

k "''-VOl

vv^ l^s

Copyright,
1889,

By

a.

W. PHILLIPS.

Press ofJ.J. Little & Co.,

Astor Place, New York.

Spherical Trigonometry.
THE SPHERICAL BLACKBOARD.

I.

globe.

The student should construct his spherical

He will thus get a good idea of the meaning of

and the unknown parts of the

may be

triangle

and a good check against large errors

in

triangles

on a

each problem,

fairly well

measured,

his calculations will

be

obtained.

cylindrical cup,

whose depth

half

is

spherical cup, should be provided with a

To

grees.

this

cup should be

diameter, or a hemi-

its

flat

rim graduated to de-

fitted a slated globe, so

will turn

it

any direction.

easily in

The rim

of the cup

is

the ruler used for drawing

and measuring

the arcs of great circles.

Dividers
their

may

also be used for laying off the lengths of arcs,

measures being taken from the globe or from the graduated

rim of the cup.

An

angle

sides, or

is

measured by laying

off

on each of

its

including

on those sides produced, 90; the arc joining these two

points thus found will be the measure of the angle.

Two

equal triangles

may be made

to coincide

by direct super-

position, and two symmetrical triangles by turning one of

and then superposing

[A piece of tin-foil may be fitted

inside out,

it

them

on the other.

to a sphere

they are cut out of paper in plane geometry to

make

and

figures cut out

this superposition.]

from

it

as

UNIVERSITY EXTENSION.

PROBLEMS OF CONSTRUCTION.
2.

To draw one great circle perpendicular to

To construct an angle at a given point

3.

To

1.

already

marked out on the

another one.
equal to a given angle

sphere.

construct an angle at a given point equal to an angle of a

given
4.

Having a

5.

To

number

of degrees.

triangle given, to construct its polar triangle.

construct a triangle having given in degrees

(a.)

the three sides.

{^.)

two sides and the included angle.

(c.)

two sides and an angle opposite one of them.

(d.)

two angles and a side opposite one of them.

(e.)

two angles and the included

When

are there

two solutions ?

When

one?

When none?

side.

(/.) the three angles.

6.

To

construct the triangles as above, having the given lines and

angles laid

down on

the sphere.

MODEL OF A PORTION OF THE SPHERE.

2.

triangle

The relations between the sides and angles of a

may be best obtained from a pasteboard model of

spherical

a portion

of the sphere.

The

sides of a spherical triangle are the intersecting arcs

which

SPHERICAL TRIGONOMETRY.
planes passing through the centre of the sphere

make with

the sur-

face of the sphere.

The

angles of a spherical triangle are the diedral angles formed

by the planes
If

of

its sides.

a line be drawn in each of the two faces of a diedral angle

perpendicular to
these two lines

its

is

edge

at a

given point, the plane angle formed by

the measure of this diedral angle.

RIGHT-ANGLED SPHERICAL
TRIANGLES.
CONSTRUCTION OF MODEL.
VATION

DERI-

FUNDAMENTAL

OF

FORMULAS.

3.

model

may be made

for this purpose

as follows

On

a piece

of pasteboard lay off from a point O,

as a centre, the line

OC

equal to the

assumed radius of the sphere, and

BAC

describe the arc of a circle

in pencil,

Draw
this

AO

figure.

C,

same
radius

being the centre.

the

Fig.

several lines

The

COB'

are

be

B,

be of the

size as in the figure

O C may

7.

in

A O

angles
to

as

B'

but the

taken of

any

Fig.

7.

UNIVERSITY EXTENSION.

6
length,

and the other

lines, of course,

must be taken proportional

toOC.
Cut half through the pasteboard on the reverse side along the

O C and O A, and cut out the entire figure O L K C L'

the side O A H about O A till it is perpendicular to O A C,
O C B' about O C till O B' coincides with O B.

lines

Call the arcs B' C,

A B, and A C

them accordingly. These

is

the right angle,

vertex.

See Fig.

respectively a,

c,

and

b,

O.

Bend

and bend

and

label

are the sides of the right spherical triangle

the angle at the base, and

the angle at the

8.

Fig. 8

Construct also three plane right triangles from separate pieces

of pasteboard.
I St.

BD

2d.

H A F,

E, where the base and perpendicular are respectively

equal to

DE

having

and B

as

FA and A H

found above.
as base

and perpendicular.

SPHERICAL TRIGONOMETRY.

K L C,

3d.

having

KC

and

K L as

base and perpendicular.

Fasten these three triangles securely in their places to the sides

OBA

and

OAC

The

hinge.

of the model, leaving

D B E, H A F,

several planes

dicular to the plane

O C B'

OAC

and

and

to the line

LKC

O C,

lines of the triangles will

meet the points and

which have corresponding

letters.

The
angle

angles E, F, and

See Fig.

swing on

to

will

B' as a

be perpen-

and the points and

lines of the

model,

9.

in these triangles are

each equal to the

of the spherical triangle.

DERIVATION OF FORMULAS.
4. In the plane right triangle

DB =
The

angle

sin ^

DEB =
sin

angle

D B E.

,.

Fig. 10.

the radius of the sphere,

of the spherical triangle

sin c
(i)

sm a

bemg

unity.

ABC.

UNIVERSITY EXTENSION.
In the plane right triangle

The

HA =

tan c

AF =

sin

angle

Fig. ii.

/^

HFA =
tan

F AH.

angle

of the spherical triangle,

tan c
(2)

sin b

In the plane right triangle

KCL.

= tan a
C K = tan ^
The angle K C L =

Fig. 12.

C L

angle

of the spherical triangle,

tan b

cos

C =

(3)

tan a

In the plane triangles

O F =
OE =

cos ^
cos a

cos a

ODE

and A O F. Fig. 10.

O D = cos r
O A = unity = radius

cos b cos c

(4)

of sphere,

sin

UNIVERSITY EXTENSION.

lO

1ST

= cot B cot C
cos B = cot ^ tan c
cos C = cot ^ tan
sin d = tan ^ cot C
sin c = Un d cot B
cos ^

l>

Group.

a)

or

sin (co.

or

sin

(co.

B)

or

sin

(co.

C)

or

sin d

or

sin c

=
~
=
=

tan (co. B) tan (co. C).

tan (co. a) tan

c.

tan (co. a) tan

d.

tan ^ tan (co. C).

tan ^ tan (co. B).

2D Group.
cos a

cos

cos
sin

sin

B
C
3
<:

= cos d cos c
= sin C cos ^
= sin B cos c
= sin a sin B
= sin ^ sin C

or

sin (co. a)

or

sin (co.B)

or

sin (co.

or

sin

or

sin c

C)

l^

=
=

=
=

cos ^ cos

c.

cos (co. C) cos

d.

cos (co. B) cos

c.

cos (co. a) cos (co. B).

cos (co. a) cos (co. C).

NAPIER'S RULES.
^

and C

If

6.

we draw

a spherical triangle,

the remaining angles, and

write comp. B, comp.

a,

ering the formulas in the

I.

The

sine

of

II.

comp. C

of

first

the middle

is

the right angle,

the three sides,

we may

and then

we

shall

state as a rule cov-

equal

to the product

of

the tangents

the adjacent parts.

and

for the second group

The

sine

of

group

part

making

and

for B, a, C, respectively,

right angle

by excluding the

see that

a, b,

of the

7niddle

the opposite parts.

part

is

equal

to the

product of the cosines

SPHERICAL TRIGONOMETRY.
It will

II

help the student to avoid the confusion of these rules

if

he will observe that the words /^ngent and adjacent go together, and
also that the

words

and opposite go together.

c<?sine

RULE FOR THE SOLUTION OF RIGHT SPHERICAL

TRIANGLES.

7.

By

I.

and

II.

find directly from the

tivo

given parts each of the

re?nai?iing parts.

Check.

Substitute

the

proper values in a formula co7itaining the

three required parts.

EXAMPLES.
The

student should select a sufficient

any text-book for

number

of examples from

and also plot these examples on the

solution,

globe, measuring the parts required in the solution.

PROBLEM.

Make the

necessary computations for a sundial.

OBLIQUE-ANGLED SPHERICAL TRIANGLES.

EXERCISES ON THE GLOBE.

8.

Construct the following triangles from the given parts, and

measure the remaining parts

1.

Given the three

2.

Given the three angles,

3.

Given two sides and included angle,

4.

Given two angles and a side opposite one of them,

5.

sides, 38, 56,

Given two angles and

70.

75, 80,

112.
80, 74, 60.

60, 80, 94.

the included side, 40, 55, 70.

UNIVERSITY EXTENSION.

12

6.

Given two sides and an angle opposite one of them,

How many
7.

Draw

cases in this last

85, 65, 50.

the polar triangle for each case.

MODEL FOR OBLIQUE-ANGLED TRIANGLE.

A

model may be made

to derive the

fundamental formula of

oblique-angled triangles as follows

On

a piece of pasteboard take

describe an arc

Draw O

B,

AB C

and produce

it

to

as a centre, with a radius

O A,

and

D.

meet the perpendicular

O A at A, and draw O C
toODatD.

to

Cut out the piece of pasteboard

A E erected to
D F erected

meet the perpendicular

O A E F D O.
O E and O F.

Cut half through the pasteboard along

A
5"

c
Fig.

Bend

13.

the two outside triangles so that

OD

and fasten the pieces securely together,

unity,

and the

sides

opposite A, B, C,

of

a^ b^

the

and

c.

spherical

and

OA will

coincide,

calling the radius

triangle

OA

respectively

SPHERICAL TRIGONOMETRY.

FAE

AE =
OE =

tan

sec c

AF =
OF =

tan

FE

sec

sec

d.

tan

<:

tan d tan c cos A.

OEF

In the triangle
^

of the spherical triangle.

tan ^

AEF

In the triangle

FE

also measures the angle

(T

13

^ (^

sec

'

sec ^ sec

'

cos

a.

Subtracting these two last equations and reducing,

cos a

By

II

cos d cos

By

sin ^ sin c cos A.

(I.)

Plane Trigonometry, advancing the

get expressions for cos

9.

<:

B and

we have

letters,

we may

cos C.

the principle of Polar Triangles,

if

we

substitute in the

above formulas

B= i8o
C = 180

A =180

we

^=180

^'

^ ==

^'

obtain, after reducing,

and suppressing the accents

cos A = cos B cos C

etc.,

A'
180 B'
180 C

^'

sin

sin

cos a

(II.)

etc.

[The formula, before suppressing the accents, was true for all polar triangles,
and since every possible triangle may be included in these polar triangles, the
formula will hold generally.]

ABC, let B and C be the angles

The sides A B, B C, and C A are respectively c, a, b.
the base.
Drop a perpendicular A D from A on the side B C.
10. In a spherical triangle

at

UNIVERSITY EXTENSION.

14

By

we have

right triangle formulas

AD =

sin ^ sin

or,

sin

Note.
and

CD

In

== sin b sin C,

^=
sin b

sin c

sin

(III.)

base a may be found by adding two segments BD

These segments may be found by the rules of right triangles.

this triangle the

together.

Summary of Formulas for

solving

Oblique Angled Triangles

without Logarithms.
II.
2.
3.

4.
5.

6.

Three sides

I.

Two
Two
Two
Two

sides

Formulas

Formulas

Three angles

I.

II.

and included angle

angles and included side

and opposite angle

I.

II.

III.

III. note.

angles and opposite side III.

III. note.

sides

SOLUTION OF OBLIQUE-ANGLED TRIANGLES

BY THE USE OF LOGARITHMS.

12. From Formula

cos

(I.)

A =

COS a

COS b COS

sm

sm

Subtract each side of this ec^uation from unity.

By

PI. Trig. 2 sin" >^

, ,

sm"" Yz

K
.

A =

|/^sin
^

(^

cos A.
cos a

sin

<r

2 sin b sin c

cos b cos

SPHERICAL TRIGONOMETRY.

reducing

sm

A = i//

x/

COS ib

}4

cos
c)

rp,

[Prove

^u* 1
this.J

2 Sin a sin c

By

Formula

PI. Trig.

13.

A =

sin 5^

A = i/

sin J^

sm

Add

sm

{s-b)

sin

sin

13.

^'^

/
Putting

l^

^^^

/^

(s-c)

sin

(jv_ ^

sin c

unity to each side of Formula

(I.)

and then prove

in

a similar way.

cos >^

A =

sin . sin (.-<.)

sin b sin

(^_)

<r

Dividing (IV.) by (V.)

tan '^

^/ sin
A =
-\/^

js-b)

sin

sin s sin (^

tan y2

B and

tan yi

throughout the formula.

C may
See

(.-.)

^)

(^I.)

be found by advancing one

12,

Plane Trig.

letter

UNIVERSITY EXTENSION.

l6

14. From

tan

x/
^

derive in a similar

II.

= \//
A

way

cos S cos (S A)
cos (S B) cos (S-C)

/T7-TT \

(VII.)

^^

A + B + C
where S
2

Dividing (VI.)

15.

T/

tsixi

}^

A = A//

~y

tan >^

tan 3^

tan }4

tan

A +

ing one letter in VI.)

^)

^)

>^

sin (^

sin (s

+

i>)

sin (^

^)

sin {s

a)
a)

to

(A

(A

B)

all

(obtained by advanc-

sin {s

sin >^

out

by

division

^ A tan

sm

Work

sin {s

a)

sin (s

tan }^

which reduces

c)

sin s sin {s

we have

By composition and

c)

-1

sin (^

a)
a)

F) sin is

sin s sin {s

sin is

B)

the steps.

tan }^ c
tan ^i {a

(VIII.)
b)

SPHERICAL TRIGONOMETRY.
Multiplying tan >^
reducing,

we

by tan

B)

I7

B, values as above given,

and

obtain
cos 3^ (A
cos >^ (A

Work

out

16.

By

B)

tan 3^ c

(IX.)

tan Y^ [a

b)

the steps.

all

using the principle of Polar triangles

Formulas (VIII.) and (IX.) reduce

sin yi {a

b)

sin Yiij^

b)

cos Y^ifi

b)

COS Y^iP'

b)

to

cot Y^

tan >^

(A

C
(X.)

B)

and
cot Y^

C
(XI.)

tan >^

(A + B)

Formulas (VIII.), (IX.), (X.) and (XL) are called Napier's

Analogies.

Formulas
cient to solve

III., VI., VII.,

all

with the Napier's Analogies, are

cases of spherical triangles

These are collected and renumbered

suffi-

by logarithms.

in the following

summary:

SUMMARY.
17. [There are two additional formulas for each one of the following, and
these may be obtained as indicated, 12, Plane Trig.]
sin b

sin c

I.

sin

sin
2

UNIVERSITY EXTENSION.

2.

/ ^^"

A ~

i
/I/
f

1/ A
tan >^
.

tan J^

sin >^

(A

sin >^

(A

B)

~~

cos >^ (A

B)
+

/^)

sin y2 [a

b)

-^

b)

cos y2{a

b)

--f)

{s

tan >^ c

tan y2 (a

b)

tan )^ c
tan y2 (a

cot >^

tan >^

cos Yz {a

(^

a)
sm sm
cos S cos (S A)
cos (S B) cos (S C)

B)

sin 3^ (^

-^^"^

^^

B)

cos >^ (A
5-

(-^

(A

cot >^

tan

b)

B)

(A

B)

CASES.

1 8.

Given

and angle opposite one of them

i,

4,

i.

side opposite one of thein

i,

4,

i.

2,

2,

2.

2.

Two
Two

3.

Three

4.

Three angles

3'

3;

Two
Two

and included angle

6,

7,

i.

angles and included side

4?

5?

i-

1.

5.
6.

sides

angles and
sides

sides

The proof

in

each case

may be obtained by

substituting the

three quantities obtained in the complete solution in

some formula.

SPHERICAL TRIGONOMETRY.

I9

EXAMPLES.
19.

I.

respectively,
(a)

In the spherical triangle

it is

(b) a

let a, b, c

be the sides

required to find the remaining parts given.

x\ =: 50, b

ABC

60,

50 45' 20", b

and a

40.

69 12' 40", and

How many solutions are there

A = 129 05' 28", B = 142

A=

44 22' 10".

(c)

(d) a
2.

"

124

53', b

31

Find the shortest distance

19',

12' 42",

and

c =

in miles

C =

105 08' 10".

171 48' 42".

on the

earth's surface

from

Berlin, latitude 52 31' 13" N., longitude 13 23' 52" E., to

Alexandria, Egypt, latitude 31

13' N.,

longitude 29 55' E.,

the earth being considered a sphere whose radius

is

3,962

miles."
3.

Find the length of the shortest day

tude 42

18' N., it

at rising or

in

New

Haven, Conn.,

lati-

being assumed that the centre of the sun

setting

is

90

50'

from the zenith, and the

declination of the sun 23 28' N.

4. Find the time

when

twilight

begins on the above day at

Haven, the sun being 18 below the horizon

New

at that time.

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