Trigonometry (10th Edition)

Published by Pearson
ISBN 10: 0321671775
ISBN 13: 978-0-32167-177-6

Chapter 7 - Review Exercises - Page 343: 18

Answer

There are two possible triangles. The angles of one triangle are as follows: $A = 61.7^{\circ}, B = 74.6^{\circ},$ and $C = 43.7^{\circ}$ The lengths of the sides are as follows: $a = 78.9~m, b = 86.4~m,$ and $c = 61.9~m$ The angles of another possible triangle are as follows: $A = 61.7^{\circ}, B = 105.4^{\circ},$ and $C = 12.9^{\circ}$ The lengths of the sides are as follows: $a = 78.9~m, b = 86.4~m,$ and $c = 20.0~m$

Work Step by Step

$A = 61.7^{\circ}$ $a = 78.9~m$ $b = 86.4~m$ We can use the law of sines to find angle $B$: $\frac{a}{sin~A} = \frac{b}{sin~B}$ $sin~B = \frac{b~sin~A}{a}$ $B = arcsin(\frac{b~sin~A}{a})$ $B = arcsin(\frac{86.4~sin~61.7^{\circ}}{78.9})$ $B = arcsin(0.96417)$ $B = 74.6^{\circ}$ We can find angle $C$: $A+B+C = 180^{\circ}$ $C = 180^{\circ}-A-B$ $C = 180^{\circ}-61.7^{\circ}-74.6^{\circ}$ $C = 43.7^{\circ}$ We can use the law of sines to find the length of side $c$: $\frac{c}{sin~C} = \frac{a}{sin~A}$ $c = \frac{a~sin~C}{sin~A}$ $c = \frac{(78.9~m)~sin~(43.7^{\circ})}{sin~61.7^{\circ}}$ $c = 61.9~m$ Note that another possible value for angle $B$ is $180^{\circ}-74.6^{\circ} = 105.4^{\circ}$ We can find angle $C$: $A+B+C = 180^{\circ}$ $C = 180^{\circ}-A-B$ $C = 180^{\circ}-61.7^{\circ}-105.4^{\circ}$ $C = 12.9^{\circ}$ We can use the law of sines to find the length of side $c$: $\frac{c}{sin~C} = \frac{a}{sin~A}$ $c = \frac{a~sin~C}{sin~A}$ $c = \frac{(78.9~m)~sin~(12.9^{\circ})}{sin~61.7^{\circ}}$ $c = 20.0~m$
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