answersLogoWhite

0


Best Answer

The difference between plane and spherical triangles is that plane triangles are constructed on a plane, and spherical triangles are constructed on the surface of a sphere. Let's take one example and run with it. Picture an equilateral triangle drawn on a plane. It has sides of equal length (naturally), and its interior angles are each 60 degrees (of course), and they sum to 180 degrees (like any and every other triangle). Now, let's take a sphere and construct that equilateral triangle on its surface. Picture an "equator" on a sphere, and cut that ball in half through the middle. Set the top half on a flat surface and cut it into four equal pieces. Now if you "peel up" the surface of one of those quarters and inspect that triangle, it will have three sides of equal length, and will have three right angles. Not possible on a plane, but easy as pie on the surface of a sphere. Spherical trig is the "next step up" from plane trig.

User Avatar

Wiki User

15y ago
This answer is:
User Avatar

Add your answer:

Earn +20 pts
Q: What is the difference between plane and spherical triangles?
Write your answer...
Submit
Still have questions?
magnify glass
imp
Related questions

What is the difference between plane trigonometry and spherical trigonometry?

Trigonometry is the study of plane and spherical triangles. Plane trigonometry deals with 2 Dimensional triangles like the ones you would draw on a piece of paper. But, spherical trigonometry deals with circles and 3 Dimensional triangles. Plane trigonometry uses different numbers and equations than spherical trigonometry. There's plane trigonometry, where you work with triangles on a flat surface, then there's spherical trigonometry, where you work with triangles on a sphere.


Difference of plane and spherical triangles?

A plane triangle looks like a common triangle. A plane triangle is solved with linear units. A spherical triangle is found inside of a sphere. This type of triangle is solved with angular units.


What is the difference of plane and spherical triangles?

The main difference is that the plane triangle is on a flat surface while the spherical triangle is on the surface of a sphere. One consequence is that the angles of a plane triangle sum to 2*pi radians (180 degrees) while those on a sphere sum to more than 2*pi radians.


Why is the sum of the angles of spherical triangles always larger than the sum of the angles of plane triangles?

Because, to allow for the curvature of the spherical surface, each angle must be slightly larger than its plane-surface equivalent.


Equilateral triangle sum of the angles is?

ANY AND EVERY plane triangle totals 180o. Spherical triangles are far too complicated for this site.


What are the two branches of Trigonometry?

The two branches of trigonometry are plane trigonometry, which deals with figures lying wholly in a single plane, and spherical trigonometry, which deals with triangles that are sections of the surface of a sphere.


What is the difference between plane waves and spherical waves?

Plane waves are planar waves that propagate in a straight line, with wavefronts that are flat and perpendicular to the direction of propagation. Spherical waves, on the other hand, propagate outward in three dimensions from a point source, with wavefronts that form concentric spheres. The intensity of a plane wave decreases as 1/r (where r is the distance from the source), while the intensity of a spherical wave decreases as 1/r^2.


What is a polar triangle in spherical trigonometry?

for any spherical triangle on any sphere there associated another triangle called the polar triangle associated with this spherical triangle with the property that the sum of any angle (or side) of one of these two triangles and the length of the side (and the angle)of the other triangle is alway equil to 180 degrees


Difference Between on and in. exp i was on the plane or in the plane?

The difference between on and in is that if you're on a plane you're on the roof of the plane and if you're in a plane you're sitting inside it.


What is the difference between an airplane and a plane?

there is no difference


is plane mirror is a spherical mirror why?

plane mirror is never a spherical mirror,spherical mirrors are made up by cutting the part of the sherical balls and then polishing them.while the plane mirror is just a sheet of polished glass


Is plane mirror a spherical mirror why?

No, a plane mirror is not a spherical mirror. A plane mirror has a flat reflective surface, while a spherical mirror has a curved reflective surface. The shape of the mirror affects the way light is reflected, with spherical mirrors causing light rays to converge or diverge depending on their curvature.