Precalculus (6th Edition)

Published by Pearson
ISBN 10: 013421742X
ISBN 13: 978-0-13421-742-0

Chapter 8 - Application of Trigonometry - 8.2 The Law of Cosines - 8.2 Exercises - Page 767: 16

Answer

$A=22.3^{\circ}$ and $B=108.2^{\circ}$ and $C=49.5^{\circ}$

Work Step by Step

Need to apply the law of cosines to find $B$ when the sides of a triangle are given. $b^2 = a^2+c^2-2ac \ cos \ B$ This implies that $B = arccos(\dfrac{a^2+c^2-b^2}{2ac}) = arccos(\dfrac{4^2+8^2-10^2}{(2)(4)(8)})= arccos(\dfrac{-5}{16})= 108.2^{\circ}$ Apply the law of cosines to find $C$ when the sides of a triangle are given. $c^2 = a^2+b^2-2ab \ cos \ C$ This implies that $C = arccos(\dfrac{a^2+b^2-c^2}{2ab}) = arccos(\dfrac{4^2+10^2-8^2}{(2)(4)(10)})= arccos(\dfrac{13}{20})= 49.5^{\circ}$ Now, find angle $A$. $A+B+C = 180^{\circ} $ or, $A= 180^{\circ}-B-C\\= 180^{\circ}-108.2^{\circ}-49.5^{\circ}\\ = 22.3^{\circ}$
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