## How to Apply Sine Rule, Cosine Rule and Tangent Rule in Trigonometry

### Sine Rule

In trigonometry, the sine law, law of sines, sine rule, or sine formula is an rational equation that relates to the lengths of the sides of a triangle (any shape or kind) to the sines of its angles.

According to the sine rule,

a / sin(A) = b / sin(B) = c / sin(C)

where a, b, and c are the lengths of the sides of a triangle, and A, B, and C are the opposite angles.

Application of Sine Rule

• Sine rule can be used to find the unknown side or length of a triangle.
• Sine rule can also be used to find the unknown angle of a triangle.

To find the unknown side or length of a triangle, three essential parameters must be provided and these parameters are:

• The angle opposite to the unknown side or length of the triangle.
• The length of a side of the triangle (b).
• The angle opposite to the length of side (b) of the triangle.

Let’s take for example we have a triangle and we want to determine the unknown side of this triangle, when the opposite angle is given, another length of the side of the triangle and its opposite angle is also given. Like the image below.

From the image above, one can see that;
The angle opposite to the unknown length of the side of the triangle is 80°. (A)
The length of the side of the triangle given is 7. (b)
The angle opposite to the length of the side of the triangle given is 60° (B)
The unknown length of the side of the triangle is x. (a)

Applying the sine rule to find the value of x:

a / sin(A) = b / sin(B)

x / sin(80°) = 7 / sin(60°)
x / 0.9848 = 7 / 0.8660

Applying cross multiplication

x (0.8660) = 7 (0.9848)
x (0.8660) = 6.8936

Dividing both sides by 0.8660

x = 6.8936 / 0.8660
x = 7.96

Therefore, the unknown length of the side of the triangle, x is 7.96.