Construct a triangle given two sides and included angle (SAS)

How to construct a triangle when given the length of two sides and the measure of the included angle, using only a compass and straightedge. This is sometimes called an SAS triangle construction (side-angle-side).

We start with two given side lengths, and an angle. The result is the triangle ABC where two sides and the included angle measures are those desired.

Instructions Click on 'Next' to go through the construction one step at a time, or click on 'Run' to let it run without stopping.
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The given angle is only there to indicate the measure of the the angle. The lines making up the given angle have random lengths that have no significance in the construction.

Note:  For the construction to be possible, the given angle must be less than 180°.  See Interior Angles of a Triangle.
Step-by-step Instructions
This construction is a combination of two simpler types. The two given lines segments are copied in a similar fashion to Copying a Line Segment, and the angle is copied in a way similar to Copying an Angle.

Step 1 Mark a point A that will be one vertex of the new triangle.
Step 2 Set the compass width to the length of the segment AB.
Step 3 With the compass point on A, make an arc near the future vertex B of the triangle.
Step 4 Mark a point B on this arc. Then draw the line AB. This will be one side of the new triangle.
Step 5 Set the compass width to the length of the given side AC.
Step 6 With the compass on A in the new triangle, make an arc roughly where the third point C will go. The point C will be somewhere along this arc; the next steps will establish exactly where by copying the given angle.
Step 7 With the compass set to any convenient width, from the point A on the given angle, draw an arc across both lines.
Step 8 Without changing the compass width, draw an arc at point A on the new triangle. The arc must cross AB and also cross the future side of the triangle.
Step 9 Set the compass to the arc width at the given angle A. This the distance between the points where the arc intersects the sides of the angle.
Step 10 Near point A draw an arc in a similar position so it crosses the arc drawn earlier. This, in effect, 'copies' the measure of the angle at P to the angle at A.
Step 11 Draw a line from A through the point where the arcs intersect to meet the outer arc. we now know where point C is along this arc.
Step 12 Draw the line BC, the third side of the triangle
Step 13 Done. The blue triangle ABC has the measures of the two sides AB and AC and the included angle desired.

Try it yourself
Click here for a printable worksheet containing two SAS triangle construction problems. When you get to the page, use the browser print command to print as many as you wish. The printed output is not copyright.

Other constructions

Lines

Angles

Triangles

Triangle Centers

Circles, Arcs and Ellipses

Non-Euclidean constructions