Law of Cosine

Law of Cosine
 In any triangle, the sum of the lengths of any two sides must
be greater than the length of the remaining side.
 Use for the non- triangle when given two sides and an
included angle or all the 3 sides (SAS or SSS)
Use to find the angle opposite largest side since it may be
obtuse.
Law of Cosine for sides
Law of Cosine for angles
•Examples:
 

1. a = 6 ; b= 7 ; C= 49; Find side c , angle A and B

C
 
49
c2 = a2 + b2 – 2ab cos C
  2
7 6 c = (7)2 + (6)2 – 2(7)(6) cos 49
  2
c = 49 + 36 – 84 cos 49
A B c2 = 29.9
 
=
c= 5.5
Examples:
Solving for Angle B:  
Cos B =
C
 
49  
Cos B =
7 6  
Cos B =
A B  
Cos B =
c= 5.5
 
Angle B= 180 Cos B= 0.261
 
Angle B = 180 - 74.8 B= 74.8
 
B= 56.2
Using the Law of Cosines to Solve a Triangle (SAS)
Example Solve triangle ABC if ; A = 42.3°, b = 12.9 meters, and c = 15.4 meters.

a 2  b 2  c 2  2bc cos A
a 2  12.9 2  15.4 2  2(12.9)(15.4) cos 42.3
a 2  109.7
a  10.47 meters
 Using the Law of Cosines to Solve a Triangle (SAS)
B must be the smaller of the two remaining angles since it is opposite the
shorter of the two sides b and c. Therefore, it cannot be obtuse. We use the
Law of Sines to find B.
sin 42.3 sin B

10.47 12.9
12.9 sin 42.3
sin B 
10.47
B  56.0

C  180  A  B  81.7 
 
Angle C = 180 - 56
 
Angle C = 81.7
 Using the Law of Cosines to Solve a Triangle (SAS)

1. Using the Law of Cosines to Solve a Triangle (SAS)

2: Use the Law of Sines to find the angle opposite the shorter of the two given sides. This angle
is always acute.

3: Find the third angle. Subtract the measure of the given angle and the angle found in step 2
from 180°.
 Using the Law of Cosines to Solve a Triangle (SSS)
Example Solve triangle ABC if a = 9.47 ft, b =15.9 ft, and c = 21.1 ft.
C
a b c
2 2 2

109.9°
  cos C 
𝑎=9.47
  𝑏=15.9
  2ab
(9.47)  (15.9)  (21.1)
2 2 2

B
 𝑐= 21.1
A
2(9.47)(15.9)
 .34109402
C  109.9 
 Using the Law of Cosines to Solve a Triangle
(SSS)
We will use the Law of Sines to find B.
  sin 𝐵 sin 109.9
=
15.9 21.1

  15.9 ∙ sin 109.9

sin 𝐵=
21.1

 sin 𝐵=.7085583516
 sin − 1 .7085583516 =45.1 °
C
 B
 𝑎=9.47 109.9°
 
Solving for Angle A

B
45.1°
  25.0°
   
A
 𝑐= 21.1
Copyright © 2007 Pearson Education, Inc. Slide 10-11
 Using the Law of Cosines to Solve a Triangle (SSS)

1. Use the Law of Cosines to find the angle opposite the longest side.

2. Use the Law of Sines to find either of the two remaining acute angles.

3. Find the third angle by subtracting the measures of the angles found in steps 1 and 2 from
180°.
USING THE LAW OF COSINES IN AN APPLICATION (SAS)
• A surveyor wishes to find the
distance between two inaccessible
points A and B on opposite sides of a
lake. While standing at point C, she
finds that
AC = 259 m, BC = 423 m, and angle
ACB measures 132°40′. Find the
distance AB.
 USING THE LAW OF COSINES IN AN APPLICATION (SAS)
Example 1

• Use the law of cosines because

we know the lengths of two
sides of the triangle and the
measure of the included angle.

2 2 2
 ( 𝐴𝐵 ) =( 𝐴𝐶 ) + ( 𝐵𝐶 ) − 2 ( 𝐴𝐶 )( 𝐵𝐶 ) cos 𝐶
2 𝟐 𝟐
 ( 𝐴𝐵 ) =( 𝟐𝟓𝟗 ) + ( 𝟒𝟐𝟑 ) −2 ( 𝟐𝟓𝟗 ) ( 𝟒𝟐𝟑 ) cos 𝟏𝟑𝟐 ° 𝟒𝟎 ′

The distance between the two points is about 628 m.