13.9k views
4 votes
Trig-Please help ASAP! Use either the law of cosines or the law of sines to find the measure of angle C

Trig-Please help ASAP! Use either the law of cosines or the law of sines to find the-example-1
User Jotasi
by
5.6k points

1 Answer

5 votes

Answer:

C = 81.6 degrees

Explanation:

The formula for law of sines

sin A sin B sin C

-------- = ----------- = -------------

a b c


Looking at the diagram, we know A = 54, b = 7.4 and c = 15.8

not enough to use the law of sines


We will need to use the law of cosines

a^2 = b^2 + c^2 - 2ac cos A

Using the law of cosines, we can calculate the length of a

a^2 = 7.4^2 + 15.8^ -2*7.4*15.8 cos 54

a^2 = 54.6+249.64-233.84cos54

a^2 =166.7922966

a = 12.921


Now we can use the law of sines to find C

sin 54 sin C

-------- = -------------

12.921 15.8


Using cross products


15.8 * sin 54 = 12.921 * sin C

Divide each side by 12.921

15.8 /12.921 * sin 54 = sin C

Take the arcsin of each side

arcsin (15.8 /12.921 * sin 54) = arcsin (sin C)

arcsin (15.8 /12.921 * sin 54) = C

C = 81.6 degrees

User Shaleen
by
6.1k points