Solving Oblique Triangles: Ambiguous Case
Directions (READ FIRST)
In the following applet, points A, C, and D represent the potential vertices of a triangle. In order to close off a triangle you can move points C and D but DO NOT move point A and DO NOT ADD any lines to the picture. Your goal is to close off a triangle by moving point D down to the x-axis. Follow the directions on your worksheet to explore the ambiguous case of oblique triangles.
The line through point C that is perpendicular to the x axis represents the height of your triangle. Notice that when alpha is obtuse, the height of your triangle is measured on the exterior of the triangle.