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Find the measure of the indicated angle to the nearest degree.

Find the measure of the indicated angle to the nearest degree.-example-1
User Jite
by
2.2k points

1 Answer

6 votes
6 votes

Answer:

24.315°

Explanation:

First use the pythagorean theorem to get the missing side since this is a right triangle.

a^2 + b^2 = c^2 →

b^2 = c^2 – a^2 →

b = (c^2 – a^2)^½

b = (17^2 – 7^2)^½

b = (289 – 49)^½

b = √240.

Then use the law of cosines to find the angle in between.

b^2 = a^2 + c^2 - 2ac * cos(B) →

b^2 - a^2 - c^2 = -2ac * cos(B) →

a^2 + c^2 – b^2 / 2ac = cos(B) →

cos^-1(a^2 + c ^2 – b^2 / 2ac) = C →

B = cos^-1(a^2 + c ^2 – b^2 / 2ac)

B = cos^-1(49 + 289 – √240 / 238)

B ≈ 75.685°.

A = 180 – B

A = 180 – 75.685

A = 24.315°

User Keith Johnston
by
2.8k points