Triangle Properties and the Law of Sines

Flashcards covering key vocabulary related to triangles, their properties, and the Law of Sines.

Sine of an Angle

The ratio of the length of the side opposite the angle to the length of the hypotenuse.

Law of Sines

A relationship in any triangle where the ratio of the length of a side to the sine of its opposite angle is the same for all three sides.

Triangle Labels

The convention of labeling the vertices, angles, and sides of a triangle with consistent naming conventions.

Height of a Triangle (h)

The perpendicular distance from a vertex to the line containing the base.

Side-Side-Angle (SSA) Problem

A situation in triangle geometry where two sides and a non-included angle are given.

Angle-Angle-Side (AAS) Problem

A triangle problem where two angles and a non-included side are known.

Angle Sum Property of Triangles

The property that states the sum of the interior angles of a triangle equals 180 degrees.

Ambiguous Case in Triangles

The scenario in SSA cases where two different triangles may satisfy the same conditions.

Pythagorean Theorem

A theorem that establishes the relationship between the sides of a right triangle (a² + b² = c²).

Angle of Elevation

The angle formed by the line of sight when looking up from a horizontal line.

Opposite Side

The side opposite to the angle being considered in a triangle.

Adjacent Side

The side that forms the angle with the hypotenuse in a right triangle.