Paper 2 · Trigonometry ⏱ Tested in 5+ recent exam questions Lesson 6 of 8

Trigonometry 1.6: Cosine Rule

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You’ll learn

  • Find the third side from two sides and the included angle: a² = b² + c² − 2bc cos A
  • Find any angle from three sides — rearrange to isolate cos A before substituting
  • Read a negative cos A correctly: the angle is obtuse, not a mistake
  • Choose between the sine rule and the cosine rule from the information given

Most recent exam questions

  • 2026 P2 Q6(c)
  • 2026 P2 Q7(a)(ii)
  • 2026 P2 Q7(c)(ii)
  • 2025 P2 Q6(c)
  • 2025 P2 Q7(c)(iv)

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