Final answer:
To find cos(a + b), use the cosine addition formula cos(a + b) = cos(a)cos(b) - sin(a)sin(b). Calculating sin(a) as -5/13 (since a is in quadrant IV) and sin(b) as 12/13 (since b is in quadrant I), we substitute and find cos(a + b) = 120/169.
Step-by-step explanation:
We are given that cos(a) = 12/13, with angle a in quadrant IV, and cos(b) = 5/13, with angle b in quadrant I. To find cos(a + b), we can use the cosine addition formula:
cos(a + b) = cos(a)cos(b) - sin(a)sin(b)
Since a is in quadrant IV, sin(a) is negative. Additionally, since b is in quadrant I, sin(b) is positive. We can use the Pythagorean identity to find sin(a) and sin(b):
sin(a) = -sqrt(1 - cos²(a)) = -sqrt(1 - (12/13)²) = -sqrt(1 - 144/169) = -sqrt(25/169) = -5/13
sin(b) = sqrt(1 - cos²(b)) = sqrt(1 - (5/13)²) = sqrt(1 - 25/169) = sqrt(144/169) = 12/13
Now we substitute the values into the addition formula:
cos(a + b) = (12/13)(5/13) - (-5/13)(12/13)
cos(a + b) = 60/169 - (-60/169)
cos(a + b) = 120/169
Therefore, cos(a + b) = 120/169.