Given a right triangle with sides , , and hypotenuse , which equation can be used to solve for using the Law of Cosines?
Table of contents
- 0. Review of College Algebra4h 43m
- 1. Measuring Angles40m
- 2. Trigonometric Functions on Right Triangles2h 5m
- 3. Unit Circle1h 19m
- 4. Graphing Trigonometric Functions1h 19m
- 5. Inverse Trigonometric Functions and Basic Trigonometric Equations1h 41m
- 6. Trigonometric Identities and More Equations2h 34m
- 7. Non-Right Triangles1h 38m
- 8. Vectors2h 25m
- 9. Polar Equations2h 5m
- 10. Parametric Equations1h 6m
- 11. Graphing Complex Numbers1h 7m
- OLD 1. Angles and the Trigonometric Functions Coming soon
- OLD 2. Trigonometric Functions graphs, Inverse Trigonometric Functions Coming soon
- OLD 3. Trigonometric Identities and Equations Coming soon
- OLD 4. Laws of Sines, Cosines and Vectors Coming soon
- OLD 5. Complex Numbers, Polar Coordinates and Parametric Equations Coming soon
- NEW (not used) 7. Laws of Sines, Cosines and Vectors Coming soon
- NEW (not used) 8. Vectors Coming soon
- NEW(not used) 9. Polar equations Coming soon
- NEW (not used) 11. Graphing Complex Numbers Coming soon
7. Non-Right Triangles
Law of Cosines
Multiple Choice
Which equation correctly uses the law of cosines to solve for in a triangle with sides , , and angle opposite side ?
A
B
C
D
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Verified step by step guidance1
Recall the Law of Cosines formula, which relates the lengths of the sides of a triangle to the cosine of one of its angles. For a triangle with sides \(a\), \(b\), and \(c\), and angle \(\gamma\) opposite side \(c\), the formula is:
\[c^{2} = a^{2} + b^{2} - 2ab \cos(\gamma)\]
Identify the sides and angle in the problem: here, \(y\) is the side opposite angle \(C\), and the other two sides are \(x\) and \(z\). So, \(y\) corresponds to \(c\), \(x\) to \(a\), \(z\) to \(b\), and \(C\) to \(\gamma\) in the Law of Cosines formula.
Substitute the identified sides and angle into the Law of Cosines formula:
\[y^{2} = x^{2} + z^{2} - 2xz \cos(C)\]
Check each given equation against this formula. The correct equation must have the sum of the squares of the two known sides, minus twice their product times the cosine of the included angle.
Note that the terms involving sine or a plus sign before the \(2xz \cos(C)\) term do not match the Law of Cosines and are therefore incorrect.
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