COMMISSION ON HIGHER

EDUCATION
BICOL UNIVERSITY POLANGUI
CAMPUS

MATH ED 04
TRIGONOMETRY
ACTIVITY 10:
Solving Oblique Triangles: Law of Cosine

MA.FE U. SANDRINO
BSED MATHEMATICS
2
 ACTIVITY 10
SOLVING OBLIQUE TRIANGLES: LAW OF COSINE

Solve for my missing parts!

1.
b2 +c 2−a 2
A=co s
−1
[ 2 bc ]
62 +72−82
A=co s
−1
[ 2(6)(7) ]
A=75.52°

a2+ c 2−b2
B=co s
−1
[ 2 ac ]
8 2+7 2−62
B=co s
−1
[ 2( 8)(7) ] C=co s−1 [ a2 +b 2−c 2
2 ab ]
B=46.57 ° 82 +6 2−72
C=co s
−1
[ 2(8)(6) ]
C=57.91°
2.

c 2=a2+ b2−2 ab ∙ cos( Z )

c 2=9.42 +6.52−2( 9.4)(6.5)∙ cos (131)

c 2=88.36+ 42.25−122.2 (−0.656 )

c 2=88.36+ 42.25+80.1632

c 2= √ 210.7732

c 2=14.52
 EVALUATION
A. Illustrate the triangle given the following information and solve for the
missing parts:

1. a = 4, c = 7, and m∠B = 75°

C
a=4
B= a∙ cos ( B )+ √ c2 −a2 ( sin B )2
b=?
2 2 2
= 4 ∙ cos (75°) + √ 7 −4 ( sin(75 ° ))
75° ≈ 6.87
B
c=7 A

2. a = 8, b = 5, and c = 9
C
b2 +c 2−a 2
a=8
b= 5
A=co s −1
[ 2 bc ]
52+ 92−8 2
A=co s
−1
[ 2(5)(9) ]
A=62.18°
B A
c= 9

a2 +b 2−c 2
C=co s
−1
[ 2 ab ]
a2+ c 2−b2
B=co s
−1
[ 2 ac ] C=co s
−1
[ 82 +52−92
2(8)(5) ]
8 2+ 92−52 C=84.26 °
B=co s
−1
[ 2(8)( 9) ]
B=33.56 °
 B. Solve the following problem.
1. Angela, Bea, and Cath are camping in their tents. If the distance between Angela
and Bea is 153 ft, the distance between Angela and Cath is 201 ft., and the
distance between Bea and Cath is 175 ft., what are the angles between Angela,
Bea, and Cath?

Bea

153 ft 175 ft Let angle A be the angle of

Angela’s tent , angle B for
the angle of Beas tent, and
C for Cath’s tent.

Angela 201 ft Cath

b2 +c 2−a 2
A=co s
−1
[ 2 bc ]
a2+ c 2−b2
A=co s
−1
[
2
201 +153 −175
2( 201)(153)
2 2

]
B=co s
−1
[ 2 ac ]
1752 +1532−2012
A=57.35° B=co s
−1
[ 2(175)(153) ]
B=75.25 °
2 2 2
a +b −c
C=co s−1 [ 2 ab ]
1752 +2012−1532
C=co s
−1
[ 2(175)(201) ]
C=47.4 °
Therefor the angle of Angela’s tent
measures 57.35° , for Bea’s tent
75.25 ° ,∧for Cat h' s tent 47.4 °