In ABC, sin A : sin B : sin C = 5:6:7 and the perimeter is 18. Find the area of triangle ABC.
\(\phantom{\cos A}\)
A = (5/18)*180 = 50°
B = (6/18) * 180 = 60°
C = (7/18)* 180 = 70°
By the Law of Sines
a /sin 50 = b / sin 60 c / sin 70 = b / sin 60
a / b = sin 50 /sqrt(3)/2 c/b = sin 70 / sqrt (3)/2
a = b [ 2sin 50 / sqrt 3] c = b [ 2sin 70 / sqrt 3 ]
a + b + c = 180
b* 2sin 50 /sqrt 3 + b + b [ 2sin 70 /sqrt 3 ] = 18
b [ 2sin 50 /sqrt 3 + 1 + 2sin70/sqrt 3 ] = 18
b = 18 / [ 2sin50/sqrt 3 + 1 + 2sin 70 / sqrt 3 ] ≈ 6.06
a = 6.06 [ 2 sin 50 / sqrt 3] ≈ 5.36
c = 6.06 [2 sin 70 /sqrt 3 ] ≈ 6.58
Area = sqrt [ 9 (9 - 6.06) (9 - 5.36) (9 - 6.58) ] ≈ 15.267 units
The sine rule says that
\(\displaystyle \frac{a}{\sin A} = \frac{b}{\sin B}=\frac{c}{\sin C} = 2R,\)
(where R is the radius of the circumscribing circle), so
\(\displaystyle a=2R\sin A,\\b = 2R \sin B,\\ c = 2R\sin C,\)
and since
\(\displaystyle \sin A :\sin B :\sin C \)
are in the ratio 5 : 6 : 7, it follows that a, b, and c are also in the ratio 5 to 6 to 7.
Since a + b + c = 18 it then follows that a = 5, b = 6 and c = 7.
From that, s (the semi-perimeter) = 9, so the area of the triangle is
\(\displaystyle \sqrt{9(9-5)(9-6)(9-7)}=6\sqrt{6}.\)
n.b. the angles, (in degrees to 3dp) are 44.415, 57.122 and 78.463.