Math calculators

Triangle Side Calculator

Updated Jul 21, 2026 By Jehan Wadia
Rate Formulas
Radians mode accepts expressions like pi/2, 2*pi/3.
Triangle Solution
Triangle Diagram
Side Length Comparison
Step-by-Step Solution

Introduction

This triangle side calculator finds the missing sides and angles of any triangle. Just enter three known values — like three sides, two angles and a side, or two sides and an angle — and the tool solves the rest. It uses the Law of Cosines and the Law of Sines to do the math for you.

The calculator handles every common case: SSS, SAS, ASA, AAS, and SSA (including the ambiguous case where two triangles are possible). You can also enter altitudes, medians, side ratios, or area to solve a triangle. Each result includes a step-by-step solution, a diagram, and a side length chart so you can see and check the work.

Choose between degrees or radians, set your decimal precision, and calculate one triangle or many at once. Whether you are a student checking homework or someone solving a real-world geometry problem, this tool gives you fast, accurate answers with full explanations.

How to Use Our Triangle Side Calculator

Enter any three known values of a triangle — sides, angles, or a mix of both — and this calculator will find all missing sides, angles, the perimeter, and a full step-by-step solution.

Side a, Side b, Side c: Type the length of any known side. Side a is across from Angle A, side b is across from Angle B, and side c is across from Angle C. Leave a field blank if you do not know it.

Angle A, Angle B, Angle C: Type the measure of any known angle. Angle A is the angle at vertex A, opposite side a. You need at least one side along with your angles to get a unique triangle. If you only need to find missing angles, try our triangle angle calculator.

Angle Unit: Pick Degrees or Radians to tell the calculator how to read your angle values. Most people use degrees. In radians mode you can type expressions like pi/2. For quick trigonometric conversions, you can also use our trig calculator.

Decimal Precision: Choose how many decimal places to show in the results, from 0 to 5. Pick "Full" to see unrounded values.

Guided Fields vs. Freeform: Use the Guided Fields tab to type values into labeled boxes. Use the Freeform tab to type a quick expression like a=3 b=4 c=5. Freeform also accepts altitudes (ha, hb, hc), medians (ma, mb, mc), area (T), side ratios (a:b:c), and angle ratios (A:B:C).

Add Row: Click this button to add more triangle rows so you can solve several triangles at once in Guided mode.

Calculate: Press the Calculate button after you enter your values. The tool will show all six triangle values, a diagram, a side length comparison chart, and a detailed step-by-step solution.

How to Find the Missing Sides and Angles of a Triangle

A triangle is a shape with three straight sides and three angles. The three angles of any triangle always add up to 180 degrees. If you know at least three of a triangle's six measurements (three sides and three angles), and at least one of them is a side, you can figure out the rest. That is exactly what this triangle side calculator does.

The Rules Behind the Math

This calculator uses two main formulas from geometry to solve triangles:

  • Law of Cosines: This formula connects all three sides of a triangle to one of its angles. It is used when you know three sides (SSS) or two sides and the angle between them (SAS).
  • Law of Sines: This formula says that the ratio of a side to the sine of its opposite angle is the same for all three sides. It is used when you know two angles and a side (ASA or AAS), or two sides and an angle that is not between them (SSA).

What Is the Ambiguous Case?

When you know two sides and an angle that is not between those sides, something tricky can happen. There might be two different triangles that fit the same numbers. This is called the ambiguous case (SSA). The calculator checks for this and shows both answers when two valid triangles exist.

Triangle Types

Triangles are grouped by their sides and their angles:

  • By sides: Equilateral (all three sides equal), Isosceles (two sides equal), or Scalene (no sides equal).
  • By angles: Acute (all angles less than 90°), Right (one angle is exactly 90°), or Obtuse (one angle is greater than 90°).

Triangle Inequality Rule

Not every set of three numbers can be the sides of a triangle. The two shorter sides added together must be longer than the longest side. If they are not, no triangle can be formed. The calculator checks this rule automatically and tells you if your values are not valid. For right triangles specifically, you can also verify side lengths using our Pythagorean theorem calculator.


Formulas used

Law of Cosines (find a side)
c^2 = a^2 + b^2 - 2ab\cos C
Law of Cosines (find an angle)
\cos A = \frac{b^2 + c^2 - a^2}{2bc}
Law of Sines
\frac{a}{\sin A} = \frac{b}{\sin B} = \frac{c}{\sin C}
Angle Sum Property
A + B + C = 180^{\circ}
Area from two sides and included angle
T = \frac{1}{2}\,a\,b\,\sin C
Side from three medians
a = \frac{2}{3}\sqrt{2m_b^2 + 2m_c^2 - m_a^2}

Frequently asked questions

What three values do I need to enter to solve a triangle?

You need exactly three known values, and at least one must be a side length. You can enter three sides (SSS), two sides and an angle (SAS or SSA), or two angles and a side (ASA or AAS). The calculator figures out the rest.

Why does the calculator say no triangle exists?

This happens when your numbers break a math rule. The most common reason is the triangle inequality — the two shorter sides must add up to more than the longest side. It also happens if your angles add up to more than 180° or if a required sine value is greater than 1.

What does the ambiguous case mean and why do I get two answers?

When you enter two sides and an angle that is not between those sides (SSA), there can be two different triangles that fit. The calculator shows both solutions so you can pick the one that matches your problem.

Can I enter angles in radians instead of degrees?

Yes. Click the Radians button at the top. You can type expressions like pi/3 or 2*pi/5. The calculator will read all angle inputs as radians and show results in radians too.

What do the labels a, b, c, A, B, and C mean?

The lowercase letters a, b, c are the three side lengths. The uppercase letters A, B, C are the three angles. Each angle is opposite its matching side — Angle A is across from side a, Angle B is across from side b, and Angle C is across from side c.

Can I solve a triangle using altitudes or medians?

Yes. In the Freeform tab, type the three altitudes as ha=... hb=... hc=... or the three medians as ma=... mb=... mc=.... The calculator converts them into side lengths and solves the triangle.

How do I solve a triangle if I only know the side ratio?

In the Freeform tab, type the ratio and one extra value to set the size. For example, a:b:c=3:4:5 T=6 gives the side ratio plus the area, or a:b:c=2:3:4 a=10 gives the ratio plus one side length.

Why can I not solve a triangle with only two values?

A triangle has six measurements (three sides and three angles). You need at least three known values to find the rest. With only two, there are too many possible triangles that could fit.

Why can I not solve a triangle with three angles and no sides?

Three angles tell you the shape of the triangle but not its size. Many triangles can share the same angles but have different side lengths. You need at least one side to pin down the exact triangle.

What is the step-by-step solution section?

It shows every math step the calculator used to solve your triangle. You can see which formula was applied (Law of Cosines or Law of Sines), the numbers plugged in, and how each missing value was found. It is helpful for learning or checking homework.

Can I solve more than one triangle at the same time?

Yes. In the Guided Fields tab, click Add Row to add extra triangle rows. Fill in each row with different values, then press Calculate All. Each triangle is solved separately.

How do I change the number of decimal places in the results?

Use the Decimal Precision dropdown at the top. You can pick 0 to 5 decimal places, or choose Full to see unrounded values.

What does the side length comparison chart show?

It is a simple bar chart that shows the three side lengths side by side. It gives you a quick visual way to compare which side is longest and which is shortest.

What is the difference between the Guided Fields tab and the Freeform tab?

The Guided Fields tab gives you labeled boxes for each side and angle. The Freeform tab lets you type everything in one line, like a=5 B=40 C=70. Freeform also supports altitudes, medians, area, and ratios.

Does this calculator work for right triangles?

Yes. Enter any three values, including a 90° angle if you know it. The calculator solves right triangles the same way it solves all others. It will also label the result as a Right triangle and show the right-angle marker on the diagram.

What happens if I enter values that do not match?

The calculator checks if your numbers are consistent. If you enter three sides that break the triangle inequality, or sides and angles that contradict each other, it will show an error message explaining what went wrong.