Amy's Blog Topic Response

**Explain how to solve a non-right triangle with Law of Sines and Law of Cosines

1.) Law of Sines(used to non-right triangles):

Sin A/a = Sin B/b= Sin C/c

Example: you have a triangle with the sides 4 and 5 & you also have an angle of 30 degrees.

A = 1/2 (4) (5) Sin 30 degrees

A = 10 Sin 30 degrees which is aproximately = 5

2.) Law of Cosines (used when you can't use Law of Sines):

(opposite leg)^2 = (adjacent leg)^2 + (other adjacent leg)^2 - 2(adjacent leg) (adjacent leg) cos (angle between)

Example: you have a triangle with the sides of 5, 6, and 7. find the angle between 5 and 6.

7^2=6^2+5^2-2(5)(6)

cos a7^2-6^2-5^2= 2(5)(6)

cos acos a= 7^2-6^2-5^2 / -2(6)(5)

a= cos-1 ((7^2-^6^2-5^2)/(-2(5)(6))

a= 78.463 degrees

i hope that helps...