Lesson 9-8

The Law of Cosines

Today’s Goals
Explore  Trigonometric Relationships in Nonright ● Understand and apply
Triangles the Law of Cosines to
find unknown
measurements in right
Online Activity Use the guiding exercises to complete the Explore.
and nonright triangles.

 INQUIRY When can the Law of Cosines be

used to solve triangles?
Talk About It!
What happens when
you apply the Law of
Learn  The Law of Cosines Cosines to find the
missing measures of
When the Law of Sines cannot be used to solve a triangle, the Law of
a right triangle?
Cosines may apply. You can use the Law of Cosines to find the length
of the third side of a triangle when the measures of two sides and their Sample answer:
included angle are known, or to find the angle measures of a triangle if Because cos 90° = 0,
the lengths of all three sides are known. the term 2bc cos A
Theorem 9.11: Law of Cosines equals 0, and the
equation simplifies to
If △ABC has lengths a, b, and c, representing the lengths of the sides
opposite the angles with measures A, B, and C, then a2 = b2 + c2, which is
the Pythagorean
a2 = b2 + c2 - 2bc cos A,
Theorem.
b2 = a2 + c2 - 2ac cos B, and
c2 = a2 + b2 - 2ab cos C Think About It!
Why can’t you use the
You will prove Theorem 9.11 in Exercise 22.
Law of Sines to find the
You can use the Law of Cosines to solve a triangle if you know the value of x?
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measures of two sides and the included angle (SAS).

Example 1  T
 he Law of Cosines (SAS) Sample answer:
To use the Law of
Find the value of x to the nearest tenth. A 2.9 Sines, you must know
We are given the measures of two sides and the measure of an
their included angle. Use the Law of Cosines x 44° C angle and a side
0.9
to write an equation.
B opposite it.
c2 = a2 + b2 - 2ab cos C Law of Cosines
x2 = 0.92 + 2.92 - 2(0.9)(2.9) cos 44° Substitution
x2 = 9.22 - 5.22 cos 44° Simplify.
_______________
​​  
x=√ 9.22
   - 5.22 cos 44° ​​ 
Take the positive square
root of each side.
 x ≈ 2.3 Use a calculator.

Go Online You can complete an Extra Example online.

Lesson 9-8 • The Law of Cosines 557

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 Your Notes You can also use the Law of Cosines if you know the three side lengths.

Example 2  The Law of Cosines (SSS) M

Find the value of x to the nearest whole number.
9
N
p2 = m2 + n2 - 2mn cos P Law of Cosines 11
92 = 52 + 112 - 2 (5)(11) cos x° Substitution 5
x°
81 = 146 - 110 cos x° Simplify.
P
-65 = -110 cos x° Subtract 146 from each side.
____-65
 ​ = cos x°
​​  -110  Divide each side by -110.

x = cos-1 ​(____  ​)

-65
​ 
-110   ​​ Use the inverse cosine function.
x ≈ 54° Use a calculator.

4.5 S
Check R
x°
Find the value of x to the nearest whole number. 3
6.1
x = 28
T

Example 3  Indirect Measurement with the Law

of Cosines
GOLF  Nhat is golfing and uses
a distance measuring tool to x Hole
determine that the tee box where
he is standing is 378 yards from
the hole. To avoid a water hazard,
Nhat turns 32° and hits a shot 378
261.5 yards up the fairway. Complete 261.5
the diagram with the correct values. 32°
Then find the distance between Fairway
Nhat’s ball and the hole to the

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nearest yard.

Because we know the measures of two sides of the triangle and the
included angle, use the Law of Cosines to find the remaining distance.

x2 = 261.52 + 3782 − 2(261.5) (378) cos 32° Law of Cosines

x2 = 211,266.25 − 197,316 cos 32° Simplify.
_______________________
x = ​​√ 211,266.25
    - 197,316 cos 32° ​​ 
Take the positive square
root of each side.
x ≈ 210 Use a calculator.

Nhat’s ball is about 210 yards from the hole.

Go Online  You can complete an Extra Example online.

558  Module 9 • Right Triangles and Trigonometry

THIS MATERIAL IS PROVIDED FOR INDIVIDUAL EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY AND MAY NOT BE DOWNLOADED OR FURTHER DISTRIBUTED.
 Check
CELL PHONE TOWERS  A cell
2 mi
phone company builds two
towers that are 2 miles apart.
They choose a random location
1.1 mi 1.5 mi
1.1 miles from tower A and x°
1.5 miles from tower B to test the
towers’ signal strengths. Find the Tower A Tower B
value of x to the nearest degree.
x = 99°

When solving right triangles, you can use sine, cosine, or tangent. When
solving any triangle, you can use the Law of Sines or the Law of Cosines,
depending on what information is given.

Example 4  Solve a Nonright Triangle with

the Law of Cosines
Solve △ABC. Round to the nearest degree. A
Because + 72
≠ 82 112,
this is not a right triangle. The
measures of all three sides are given (SSS), so decide
which angle measure you want to find. Then use the 8 11
Law of Cosines.

a2 = b2 + c2 − 2bc cos A Law of Cosines

B
2 2
7 C
72 = 11 + 8 − 2(11)(8) cos A 
Substitute.
49 = 185 − 176 cos A Simplify.
−136 = −176 cos A Subtract 185 from each side.
____-136
​​  -176  
​​= cos A Divide each side by -176.

m∠A = cos−1 ​(​ ____ ​)​​

- 136
- 176   Use the inverse cosine function.
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m∠A = 39.400° Use a calculator.

Use the Law of Sines to find m∠B. Study Tip

____ sin A
​​  a    ​​ = ____
sin B
​ ​ b    ​​   Law of Sines Rounding  When you
round a numerical
sin A sin B
____
​​  7  ​​   = ____
​ ​ 11    ​   a = 7 and b = 11 solution and then use
it in later calculations,
11 sin A = 7 sin B Multiplication Property of Equality your answers may be
​​(______  )​​ = sin B inaccurate. Wait until
11 sin A
​  7 ​  Divide each side by 7.
after you have
m∠B = sin−1 ​(______ ​ )​​
11 sin A
​  7    Use the inverse sine function. completed all of your
calculations to round.
m∠B ≈ 85.904° Use a calculator.

By the Triangle Angle-Sum Theorem, m∠C ≈ 180 - (39 + 86) or 55°.

Go Online  You can complete an Extra Example online.

Lesson 9-8 • The Law of Cosines  559

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 Check
Solve △ABC when b = 10.2, c = 9.3, and m∠A = 26°. A
Round angle measures to the nearest degree and c
side measures to the nearest tenth. b
B
a = 4.5 C a
m∠B = 88°
m∠C = 66°

Example 5  Solve a Right Triangle with the Law of Cosines

Solve △FGH. Round angle measures to the nearest degree and side
measures to the nearest tenth. F
Find FG.
ℎ2 = f2 + g2 Pythagorean Theorem 3
ℎ2 = 22 + 32 Substitution

ℎ2 = 13 Simplify. H G
___ 2
ℎ = ​​√  13 ​​  Take the positive square root of each side.

ℎ ≈ 3.6 Use a calculator.

Study Tip
Obtuse Angles There So, FG ≈ 3.6.
are also values for sin A, Find m∠F.
cos A, and tan A when
m∠A ≥ 90°. Values of f 2 = g2 + ℎ2 - 2gℎ cos F Law of Cosines
___
+ (​​ ​√ 
__
the ratios for these 22 = 32 13 ​) 2​​ - 2​​(3)​​ (​​ ​√13 ​
  ) ​​ cos F Substitution
angles can be found by ___
using the trigonometric 4 = 22 - 6​​√  13 ​​  cos F Simplify.
functions on your __
   cos F
-18 = -6​​√13 ​​ Subtract 22 from each side.
calculator. It is good __
practice to solve for _____
​​ 
-18__
    ​ = cos F
-6​√3 ​
   .
Divide each side by -6​​√13 ​​
smaller angles first, and
34 ≈ m∠F

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then use the Triangle Use a calculator.
Angle-Sum Theorem to So, m∠F ≈ 34°.
find the measure of the
largest, third angle. Find m∠G.
Because we know that m∠H = 90° and m∠F ≈ 34°, find m∠G.
m∠G = 90° - 34° or 56°

Check
Go Online
to practice what you’ve Solve △EFG. Round angle measures to the nearest 15
learned about solving degree and side measures to the nearest tenth. E F
triangles in the Put It All e = 17 8
Together over Lessons
9-7 through 9-8. m∠F = 28° G
m∠G = 62°
Go Online You can complete an Extra Example online.

560 Module 9 • Right Triangles and Trigonometry

THIS MATERIAL IS PROVIDED FOR INDIVIDUAL EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY AND MAY NOT BE DOWNLOADED OR FURTHER DISTRIBUTED.