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In △ABC, m∠A=16 °, m∠B=49 °, and a=4 . Find c to the nearest tenth. law of sines 4 A. 27.6 B. 16.5 C. 19.4 D. 13.2

User YONGSOO KIM
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1 Answer

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22 votes

Answer:

D. 13.2

Explanation:

The law of sines tells you side lengths are proportional to the sines of their opposite angles.

Estimate

From the law of sines, we have ...

b/a = sin(B)/sin(A) = sin(49°)/sin(16°)

You know the sine function is concave downward, so the sine of 49° cannot be more than 49/16 = 3 1/16 times the sine of 16°. That means ...

b/a < 3 1/16 ⇒ b < (4)(3 1/16) = 12 1/4

The triangle inequality tells you ...

c < a +b

c < 4 + 12 1/4 = 16 1/4

Of the possible answer choices, the only sensible choice is 13.2.

Working out

If you actually want to work the problem in detail, you need to find angle C:

C = 180° -A -B

C = 180° -16° -49° = 115°

Then the law of sines tells you ...

c/a = sin(C)/sin(A)

c = a·sin(C)/sin(A) = 4·sin(115°)/sin(16°)

c ≈ 13.2

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Additional comment

We can revisit the estimating process using the actual value of angle C.

C = 180° -16° -49° = 115°

sin(C) = sin(115°) = sin(65°) . . . . . . sine identity

Again, ...

c/a < C/A

c < a(C/A) = 4(65°/16°) = 16 1/4 . . . . same as above.

In △ABC, m∠A=16 °, m∠B=49 °, and a=4 . Find c to the nearest tenth. law of sines 4 A-example-1
User Fforw
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