Law of sines

Law of Sines

Figure 1, With circumcircle

Figure 2, Without circumcircle

Two triangles labelled with the components of the law of sines. α, β and γ are the angles associated with the vertices at capital A, B, and C, respectively. Lower-case a, b, and c are the lengths of the sides opposite them. (a is opposite α, etc.)

Trigonometry
Outline History Usage Functions (sin, cos, tan, inverse) Generalized trigonometry
Reference
Identities Exact constants Tables Unit circle
Laws and theorems
Sines Cosines Tangents Cotangents Pythagorean theorem
Calculus
Trigonometric substitution Integrals (inverse functions) Derivatives Trigonometric series
Mathematicians
Hipparchus Ptolemy Brahmagupta al-Hasib al-Battani Regiomontanus Viète de Moivre Euler Fourier
v t e

In trigonometry, the law of sines, sine law, sine formula, or sine rule is an equation relating the lengths of the sides of any triangle to the sines of its angles. According to the law, $${\displaystyle {\frac {a}{\sin {\alpha }}}\,=\,{\frac {b}{\sin {\beta }}}\,=\,{\frac {c}{\sin {\gamma }}}\,=\,2R,}$$ where a, b, and c are the lengths of the sides of a triangle, and α, β, and γ are the opposite angles (see figure 2), while R is the radius of the triangle's circumcircle. When the last part of the equation is not used, the law is sometimes stated using the reciprocals; $${\displaystyle {\frac {\sin {\alpha }}{a}}\,=\,{\frac {\sin {\beta }}{b}}\,=\,{\frac {\sin {\gamma }}{c}}.}$$ The law of sines can be used to compute the remaining sides of a triangle when two angles and a side are known—a technique known as triangulation. It can also be used when two sides and one of the non-enclosed angles are known. In some such cases, the triangle is not uniquely determined by this data (called the ambiguous case) and the technique gives two possible values for the enclosed angle.

The law of sines is one of two trigonometric equations commonly applied to find lengths and angles in scalene triangles, with the other being the law of cosines.

The law of sines can be generalized to higher dimensions on surfaces with constant curvature.^[1]