Faculty of Engineering and the
Built Environment
Department of Mining Engineering and Mine Surveying
UNIT 1
Introduction to Surveying
Solution of triangles
Mine Surveying A1
MSVMSA1
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TYPES OF TRIANGLES
• Acute Angled
• Obtuse Angled
• Equilateral / Equiangular
• Scalene
• Isosceles
• Right Angled
TRIGONOMETRIC RATIOS
Trig ratios - acute angles. C
Triangle A.B.C. is right-angled at B.
Sin Θ = OPPOSITE SIDE = BC
HYPOTENUSE AC
Cos Θ = ADJACENT SIDE = AB
HYPOTENUSE AC
A Θ 90
B
Tan Θ = OPPOSITE SIDE = BC
ADJACENT SIDE AB
RECIPROCALS
Cosec Θ = HYPOTENUSE = AC = 1
OPPOSITE SIDE BC SIN Θ
Sec Θ = HYPOTENUSE = AC = 1
ADJACENT SIDE AB COS Θ
Cot Θ = ADJACENT SIDE = AB = 1
OPPOSITE SIDE BC TAN Θ
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SOLUTION OF OTHER TRIANGLES
There are four main methods of solving plane triangles other than right-angled triangles.
1. SINE RULE
In order to solve a triangle by sine rule at least two sides and one angle not included by the
two sides are required. The usual form is for three sides and one angle or three angles and
one side to be given.
In triangle A.B.C. A
The Sine rule is:
b c
a = b = c
SIN A SIN B SIN C
C B
a
2. EQUATION METHOD
This method is used to solve a triangle when two sides and the included angle are given.
In triangle A.B.C. (as above) the formula is:
Tan A-B = a-b * Cot C
2 a+b 2
(NB once you have the value of (A - B) the value of (A + B) needs to be brought in as part
of the simultaneous equation)
NB. A being the larger angle and opposite to the larger side.
Having found the difference between angles A and B by the formula and knowing the sum
of angles A and B (180o - C the given angle) the angles A and B can be found.
3. COSINE RULE
This method can be used to solve a triangle when two sides and the included angle are
given. In this method the third side is first calculated and then the angles A and B.
NB. This method can be inaccurate when any of the angles are small and interpolations are
made for differences in logarithmic tables.
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But with the use of calculators this inaccuracy is reduced
The form of the formula is:
a²=b²+c²-2bcCosA
4. HALF ANGLE FORMULA
This method is used when the three sides are given. There are three formulae:
Sin A2 = (s-b)(s-c)
bc
Cos A2 =
2 s(s-a)
bc
Tan A (s-b)(s-c)
2 = s(s-a)
Where s = 1/2 (a + b + c)
The third formula is the most commonly used.
Any triangle calculation can be checked using Mollweide’s Formulae:
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a-b = Sin 2 (A-B)
c 1
Cos 2 C
a+b = Cos 12 (A-B)
c Sin 12 C
As both these formulae involve all six elements of a triangle, they are useful for checking
results.
The formulae are very sensitive to even small changes in lengths of sides or the sizes of angles.
CLASS EXAMPLES
1. Given triangle A.B.C. where:
Side AC = 12,620 metres
Side BC = 18,000 metres
Angle C = 11505'00"
Using the equation method solve the triangle and check your answers by using the sine rule.
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Answer: Angle A = 38:50:06 Angle B = 26:04:54 AB = 25,997m
2. Given triangle P.Q.R. where:
Side RP = 271,450 metres
Side RQ = 147,040 metres
Angle R = 99º28'00"
Using the cosine rule, solve the triangle and check your answers using another method.
Answer: Angle P = 26:07:56 Angle Q = 54:24:04 PQ = 329,295m
3. Given triangle D.E.F. where:
DE = 864,140 metres
EF = 936,890 metres
FD = 679,230 metres
Using the half angle formulae calculate the angles D, E and F and check your answers.
Answer: Angle D = 73:39:24 Angle E = 44:04:54 Angle F = 62:15:41
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Some Useful formulae for the solution of triangles
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