1

ST In a triangle ABC, the angles are denoted by capital letters A, B, and C and the lengths of the sides opposite these angles are denoted by a, b, c respectively. Semi-perimeter of the triangle is a b c written as s , and its area by 2 sinB sinC B S or . b c Let R be the radius of the circumcircle of triangle ABC. Basic Formulae (i) Sine rule:
sin A a sinB b sinC c 1 . 2R
A

(ii)

Cosine rule:
c 2 a2 , 2bc Projection rule: cos A b2 cosB= a2 c 2 b2 , 2ac cosC= a2 b2 c 2 . 2ab

(iii)

(iv)

a = b cosC + c cosB, b = c cosA + a cosC, c = a cosB + b cosA. Napier's analogy:

B C b c A C A c a B cot , tan cot , 2 b c 2 2 c a 2 Trigonometric ratios of half - angles: tan tan A B 2 a b C .cot . a b 2

(v)

sin

A 2 A 2
A 2

s b s c bc s s a bc

, sin B 2

B 2

s c s a ca s s b ca
B 2

, sin C 2

C 2 ab

s a s b ab ,

cos
tan

, cos
,

, cos

s s c
C 2

s b s c s s a

tan

s c s a s s b

, tan

s a s b s s c

(vi)

Since, every angle of a triangle is less than 180 0, half of each angle will be less than 900, and thus, all the trigonometric ratios of half the angles are positive. Area of a triangle:
1 1 1 bc sin A = ca sinB = ab sin C = s s-a s b s c 2 2 2 abc 4R

Solution of Triangles: The three sides a, b, c and the three angles A, B, C are called the elements of the triangle ABC. When any three of these six elements (except all the three angles) of a triangle are given, the triangle is known completely; that is the other three elements can be expressed in terms of the given elements and can be evaluated. This process is called the solution of triangles. (i) If the three sides a, b, c are given, angle A is obtained from s b s c b2 c 2 a2 A . B and C can be obtained in the tan or cos A 2bc 2 s s a (ii) similar way. If two sides b and c and the included angle A are given, then B C b c A B C B C A gives tan cot . Also 90 , so that B and C can 2 b c 2 2 2 2 b sin A 2 2 2 be evaluated. The third side is given by a = or a = b + c 2bc cosA. sinB If two sides b and c and the angle B (opposite to side b) are given, then c bsin A give the remaining elements. sinC sinB , A = 180 (B + C) and b b sinB If b < c sinB, there is no triangle possible (fig1). If b = c sinB and B is an acute angle, then only one triangle is possible (fig 2). If c sinB < b < c and B is an acute angle, then there are two value of angle C (fig 3). If c < b and B is an acute angle, then there is only one triangle (fig 4).
A c c sinB

(iii)

A c

c sinB

fig. 1

fig. 2
A

A c b B fig. 3 b D C2 C1
C2

b c

b B Fig. 4

c sinB C1

c sinB

This is, sometimes, called an ambiguous case. If one side a and angles B and C are given, then A = 180 (B + C), and a sinB a sinC b , c . sin A sin A If the three angles A, B, C are given, we can only find the ratios of the sides a, b, c by using the sine rule (since there are infinite number of similar triangles).

Circles Connected with Triangle (i) Circum-circle: The circle passing through the vertices of the triangle ABC is called the circum-circle. Its radius R is called the circum-radius. In the triangle ABC, a b c abc . R 2sin A 2sinB 2sinC 4 In-Circle: The circle touching the three sides of the triangle internally is called the inscribed or the in-circle of the triangle. Its radius r is called the inradius of the circle. In the triangle ABC, A B r s a tan s b tan s 2 2 Remark: From r = 4R sin 2r (iii)
1 A B C sin sin , we find that r 4R. 8 2 2 2 R. Here equality holds for the equilateral triangle.
A

O R B C

(ii)

A O r B C

s c

tan

C 2

4R sin

A 2

sin

B 2

C sin . 2

Escribed circles:

The circle touching BC and the two sides AB and AC produced of ABC externally is called the escribed circle opposite A. Its radius is denoted by r1. Similarly r2, and r3 denote the radii of the escribed circles opposite angles B and C respectively. A r1, r2, r3 are called the ex-radii of ABC. Here A A B C r1 s tan 4R sin cos cos , s a 2 2 2 2 B B C A r2 s tan 4R sin cos cos , s b 2 2 2 2 C C A B r3 s tan 4R sin cos cos , s c 2 2 2 2 r1 + r2 + r3 = 4R + r,

r1

O1

r1r2

r2r3

r3r1

s2

r1r2r3 . r