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Someone help me solve this question-example-1
User Thst
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The length of the missing side is 16.1 cm to 1 decimal place.

To find the length of the missing side in the triangle, we can use the law of cosines.

Law of cosines:

c² = a² + b² - 2ab * cos(C)

where:

c is the length of the hypotenuse of the triangle

a and b are the lengths of the other two sides of the triangle

C is the angle between sides a and b

Using the law of cosines:

In the given triangle, we are given the following:

c = 10 cm (hypotenuse)

a = 13 cm (one of the legs)

b = x (the missing leg)

C = 40° (the angle between sides a and b)

Substituting these values into the law of cosines, we get:

10² = 13² + x² - 2 * 13 * x * cos(40°)

100 = 169 + x² - 11.7 * x

-69 = x² - 11.7 * x

Solving the quadratic equation:

We can solve this quadratic equation using the quadratic formula:

x = (-b ± √(b² - 4ac)) / 2a

where:

a = 1

b = -11.7

c = -69

Substituting these values into the quadratic formula, we get:

x = (11.7 ± √(11.7² - 4 * 1 * -69)) / 2 * 1

x = (11.7 ± √(139.29 + 276)) / 2

x = (11.7 ± √415.29) / 2

x = (11.7 ± 20.4) / 2

Therefore, the two possible solutions for x are:

x = 16.1 cm or x = -8.7 cm

Since the length of a side cannot be negative, the only valid solution is x = 16.1 cm.

User Freak
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