How do you find the perpendicular distance in a triangle? - Answers

The answer will depend on what information you do have.If you know two sides and the included angle you can find the area. Then perpendicular distance = 2*Area/Base.If you know all three sides then you can use the cosine rule to find one of the angles. Then, you have two sides and the included angle and can proceed as above. Actually, you can find the area directly from the three sides.If you know one side and two angles, you effectively know one side and all three angles. You can use the sine rule to find one of the other sides and then you have two sides and an included angle and so can proceed as before.There are more complicated solutions where other measures are known.The answer will depend on what information you do have.If you know two sides and the included angle you can find the area. Then perpendicular distance = 2*Area/Base.If you know all three sides then you can use the cosine rule to find one of the angles. Then, you have two sides and the included angle and can proceed as above. Actually, you can find the area directly from the three sides.If you know one side and two angles, you effectively know one side and all three angles. You can use the sine rule to find one of the other sides and then you have two sides and an included angle and so can proceed as before.There are more complicated solutions where other measures are known.The answer will depend on what information you do have.If you know two sides and the included angle you can find the area. Then perpendicular distance = 2*Area/Base.If you know all three sides then you can use the cosine rule to find one of the angles. Then, you have two sides and the included angle and can proceed as above. Actually, you can find the area directly from the three sides.If you know one side and two angles, you effectively know one side and all three angles. You can use the sine rule to find one of the other sides and then you have two sides and an included angle and so can proceed as before.There are more complicated solutions where other measures are known.The answer will depend on what information you do have.If you know two sides and the included angle you can find the area. Then perpendicular distance = 2*Area/Base.If you know all three sides then you can use the cosine rule to find one of the angles. Then, you have two sides and the included angle and can proceed as above. Actually, you can find the area directly from the three sides.If you know one side and two angles, you effectively know one side and all three angles. You can use the sine rule to find one of the other sides and then you have two sides and an included angle and so can proceed as before.There are more complicated solutions where other measures are known.