Prove that if sin$A b$, then $\angle B$ is acute.

euclidean-geometrygeometrytrigonometry

Given $\triangle ABC$, $a > b$ and $\angle A$ with the property that sin$A < \frac ab$. How do I prove that $\angle B$ is an acute angle?

I'm trying to use this and proof that a triangle with this particular property isn't included in the ambiguous case of the sine law.

I'd really appreciate any help.
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Best Answer

This is not true. See the diagram below:

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Comments on the Edited Question

As mentioned in comments under Pythagoras' answer, it is true that if $a\gt b$, then $A\gt B$. To show this, consider the incircle of our triangle:

enter image description here

Looking at the right triangles $\triangle OEC$ and $\triangle OEB$, we have $$ \begin{align} a &=CE+EB\tag{1a}\\ &=r\cot(C/2)+r\cot(B/2)\tag{1b} \end{align} $$ Looking at the right triangles $\triangle ODC$ and $\triangle ODA$, we have $$ \begin{align} b &=CD+DA\tag{2a}\\ &=r\cot(C/2)+r\cot(A/2)\tag{2b} \end{align} $$ Thus, if $a\gt b$, then $\cot(B/2)\gt\cot(A/2)$, which, since $\cot(\theta)$ is decreasing on $(0,\pi/2)$, says that $A\gt B$.

Therefore, since the sum of the three angles must be $180^{\large\circ}$, $B$ must be less than $90^{\large\circ}$; otherwise, the sum of $A$ and $B$ would be greater than $180^{\large\circ}$.

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