Topic Details (Notes format)

How to Use the Law of Cosines in Any Triangle

Subject: Mathematics

Book: Maths Mastery

The Law of Cosines extends the Pythagorean theorem to non-right triangles: c² = a² + b² – 2ab cos(C), where C is the angle opposite side c. If you know two sides and the included angle, you can find the third side; or if you know three sides, you can find an angle. For instance, if a=7, b=5, and angle C=60°, then c² = 7² + 5² – 2×7×5×cos(60°)= 49 + 25 – 70×0.5=49 + 25 – 35=39, so c=√39. This formula solves oblique triangles, essential in astronomy, land surveying, or advanced geometry proofs. Grasping the Law of Cosines complements the Law of Sines to solve any general triangle scenario.

Practice Questions

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The probability of getting an even number when rolling a die is:

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What is the square root of 0.25?

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If the sum of three consecutive integers is 72, what are the integers?

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The sum of the reciprocals of two numbers is 1/4. If one number is 12, what is the other?

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A number is increased by 20% and then decreased by 20%. What is the net change?

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A number is increased by 20% and then decreased by 10%. What is the net change?

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