TEACHER: Keisha King-Brooks
CLASS: Form 5’s
SUBJECT: Mathematics 
Number of Copies:    40
Date Required: Thursday 25th February, 2021. 
E-mailed Date: 22/02/2021
 
STUDENT’s NAME  COLLECTION:  COLLECTION RETURN:  RETURN
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PARENT/GUARDIAN  PARENT/GUARDIAN 
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 Form 5 week 9
Mathematics
Cosine rule: Finding lengths and angles package

Please read the following instructions carefully.

Students are required to:

 Read the note/example on pages 3 to 5. Please write it in your Mathematics notebooks

and formula books (include the topic in both books)

 Attempt all the questions on the worksheet (see pages 6 to 8) using the note/example
on pages 3 to 5.

 Please do all the questions on folder pages with your name and class at the top, to be
handed in the following week for correction.

 All definitions are to be learnt.

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Cosine rule

The cosine rule can be used to calculate unknown sides or angles in a triangle which
does not have a right angle. The formula can be proved as shown below.

Cosine rule formulas

a2 = b2 + c2 – 2bc cos A

b2 = a2 + c2 – 2ac cos B

c2 = a2 + b2 – 2ab cos C

The cosine rule can also be proved for an acute-angled triangle.

The cosine rule can be applied when we are given:

i. The length of two sides and the included angle of a triangle.

ii. The lengths of the three sides of a triangle.

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Example: Finding a length using cosine rule

In triangle ABC, a = 12.8 cm, c = 15.3 cm and B = 39.5°. Evaluate side b.

Considering triangle ABC and using the cosine rule:

b2 = a2 + c2 – 2ac cos B
b2 = (12.8 cm)2 + (15.3 cm)2 – 2 × 12.8 cm × 15.3 cm × cos 39.5°
b2 = 163.84 cm2 + 234.09 cm2 – 391.68cm2 × 0.772
b2 = 397.93 cm2 – 302.38 cm2
b2 = 95.55 cm2

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Example: Finding an angle using cosine rule

Given triangle PQR in which p = 5.4 cm, q = 9.7 cm and r = 12.5 cm, evaluate
angle Q.

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Cosine rule: Finding a length exercise

1. If a = 9 m, c = 14 m and angle B = 39° in triangle ABC, calculate the length of

side b.

2. In triangle ABC, a = 12.8 cm, c = 15.3 cm and angle B = 39.5°.

Evaluate side b.

3. Calculate the length of PR in the diagram below.

4. Find the missing side XZ.

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Cosine rule: Finding an angle exercise

1. Find the angle C.

2. Find the angle A.

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3. Find the angle C.

4. Find the angle B.