6.

2 LAW OF COSINES
What You Should Learn
• Use the Law of Cosines to solve oblique
triangles (SSS or SAS).

• Use the Law of Cosines to model and solve

real-life problems.

• Use Heron’s Area Formula to find the area of a

triangle.

2
Introduction
Two cases remain in the list of conditions needed to solve
an oblique triangle—SSS and SAS.

If you are given three sides (SSS), or two sides and their
included angle (SAS), none of the ratios in the Law of
Sines would be complete.

In such cases, you can use the Law of Cosines.

3
Let's consider types of triangles with the three pieces of
information shown below.
We can't use the Law of Sines on these because we don't have an angle and a
side opposite it. We need another method for SAS and SSS triangles.

SAS
You may have a side, an angle, AAA
and then another side
You may have all three angles.

This case doesn't determine a

SSS triangle because similar triangles
have the same angles and shape
You may have all three sides but "blown up" or "shrunk down"
 Triangle Side Length Restriction

In any triangle, the sum of the lengths of

any two sides must be greater than the
length of the remaining side.

8.2-5
Copyright © 2009 Pearson Addison-Wesley 1.1-5
 Proof of the Law of Cosines
Prove that c2= a2 + b2 – 2ab cos C
In triangle CBD,
B cos C = x / a
Then, x= a cos C (Eq #1)
Using Pythagorean Theorem
a h c h2 = a2 - x2 (Eq #2)
In triangle BDA,
Using Pythagorean Theorem
c2 = h2 + (b – x)2
C x D b-x A c2 = h2 + b2 – 2bx + x2 (Eq #3)
Substitute with h2 Eq #2
b c2 = a2 - x2 + b2 – 2bx + x2
Combine like Terms
c2 = a2 - x2 + b2 – 2bx + x2
Prove: c2 = a2 + b2 – 2bx
c2 = a2 + b2 – 2ab cos C Finally, substitute x with Eq #1
c2 = a2 + b2 – 2ba cos C
Therefore: c2 = a2 + b2 – 2ab cos C
Introduction

7
 Using the Law of Cosines to Solve a Triangle
(SAS)
Example Solve triangle ABC if
A = 42.3°, b = 12.9 meters, and
c = 15.4 meters.

a 2  b 2  c 2  2bc cos A
a 2  12.92  15.42  2(12.9)(15.4) cos 42.3
a 2  109.7
a  10.47 meters

Copyright © 2007 Pearson Education, Inc. Slide 10-8

 Using the Law of Cosines to Solve a Triangle
(SAS)
B must be the smaller of the two remaining angles
since it is opposite the shorter of the two sides b and c.
Therefore, it cannot be obtuse. We use the Law of
Sines to find B. sin 42.3 sin B
 10.47 m
10.47 12.9 𝟖𝟏. 𝟕°

12.9 sin 42.3

sin B  𝟓𝟔. 𝟎°
10.47
B  56.0
C  180  A  B  81.7 

Caution If we had chosen to find C rather than B, we would not have known
whether C equals 81.7° or its supplement, 98.3°.
Copyright © 2007 Pearson Education, Inc. Slide 10-9
Law of Cosines
Knowing the cosine of an angle, you can determine
whether the angle is acute or obtuse. That is,

cos  > 0 for 0 <  < 90 Acute

cos  < 0 for 90 <  < 180. Obtuse

If the largest angle is acute, the remaining two angles are

acute also.

10
 Using the Law of Cosines to Solve a Triangle
(SAS)

Step 1: Use the Law of Cosines to find the side opposite the
given angle.

Step 2: Use the Law of Sines to find the angle opposite the
shorter of the two given sides. This angle is always acute.

Step 3: Find the third angle. Subtract the measure of

the given angle and the angle found in step 2 from
180°.

Copyright © 2007 Pearson Education, Inc. Slide 10-11

 Using the Law of Cosines to Solve a Triangle
(SSS)
Example Solve triangle ABC if a = 9.47 ft, b =15.9 ft,
and c = 21.1 ft.
Solution We solve for C, the largest angle, first. If
cos C < 0, then C will be obtuse.
c 2  a 2  b 2  2ab cos C
a b c
2 2 2
(9.47)  (15.9)  (21.1)
2 2 2
cos C  
2ab 2(9.47)(15.9)
C
𝑏 = 15.9
𝑎 = 9.47 109.9°
 .34109402
B
C  109.9 
A
𝑐 = 21.1
Copyright © 2007 Pearson Education, Inc. Slide 10-12
 Using the Law of Cosines to Solve a Triangle
(SSS)
We will use the Law of Sines to find B.
sin 𝐵 sin 109.9
=
15.9 21.1

15.9 ∙ sin 109.9

sin 𝐵 =
21.1

sin 𝐵 = .7085583516

sin−1 .7085583516 = 45.1°

C
109.9° 𝑏 = 15.9
𝑎 = 9.47
𝐴 = 180° − 109.9° − 45.1° ≈ 25.0°
45.1° 25.0°
B A
𝑐 = 21.1
Copyright © 2007 Pearson Education, Inc. Slide 10-13
 Using the Law of Cosines to Solve a Triangle
(SSS)

• Use the Law of Cosines to find the angle opposite the

longest side.

• Use the Law of Sines to find either of the two

remaining acute angles.

• Find the third angle by subtracting the measures

of the angles found in steps 1 and 2 from 180°.

Copyright © 2007 Pearson Education, Inc. Slide 10-14

 USING THE LAW OF COSINES IN AN
Example 1
APPLICATION (SAS)

A surveyor wishes to find the

distance between two
inaccessible points A and B on
opposite sides of a lake. While
standing at point C, she finds that
AC = 259 m, BC = 423 m, and
angle ACB measures 132°40′.
Find the distance AB.

8.2-15
Copyright © 2009 Pearson Addison-Wesley 1.1-15
 USING THE LAW OF COSINES IN AN
Example 1
APPLICATION (SAS)

Use the law of cosines

because we know the lengths
of two sides of the triangle and
the measure of the included
angle.
𝐴𝐵 2 = 𝐴𝐶 2 + 𝐵𝐶 2 − 2 𝐴𝐶 𝐵𝐶 cos 𝐶

𝐴𝐵 2 = 𝟐𝟓𝟗 𝟐 + 𝟒𝟐𝟑 𝟐 − 2 𝟐𝟓𝟗 𝟒𝟐𝟑 cos 𝟏𝟑𝟐°𝟒𝟎′

The distance between the two points is about 628 m.

8.2-16
Copyright © 2009 Pearson Addison-Wesley 1.1-16
Example 3 – An Application of the Law of Cosines

The pitcher’s mound on a women’s softball field is 43 feet

from home plate and the distance between the bases is 60
feet, as shown in Figure 6.13. (The pitcher’s mound is not
halfway between home plate and second base.) How far is
the pitcher’s mound from first base?

Figure 6.13
17
Example 3 – Solution
In triangle HPF, H = 45 (line HP bisects the right angle
at H), f = 43, and p = 60.

Using the Law of Cosines for this SAS case, you have
h2 = f 2 + p2 – 2fp cos H

= 432 + 602 – 2(43)(60) cos 45

 1800.3.

So, the approximate distance from the

pitcher’s mound to first base is
 42.43 feet.
18
 Area Formula

• The law of cosines can be used to derive a formula

for the area of a triangle given the lengths of three
sides known as Heron’s Formula.
Heron’s Formula
If a triangle has sides of lengths a, b, and c
and if the semiperimeter is
1
s  ( a  b  c ),
2
Then the area of the triangle is
A  s ( s a)(s b)(s c).

Copyright © 2007 Pearson Education, Inc. Slide 10-19

Example 5 – Using Heron’s Area Formula
Find the area of a triangle having sides of lengths
a = 43 meters, b = 53 meters, and c = 72 meters.
Solution:
Because s = (a + b + c)/2
= 168/2
= 84,
Heron’s Area Formula yields

 1131.89 square meters.

20
 Example 5 USING HERON’S FORMULA TO FIND
AN AREA (SSS)

The distance “as the crow flies” from Los Angeles to

New York is 2451 miles, from New York to Montreal is
331 miles, and from Montreal to Los Angeles is 2427
miles. What is the area of the triangular region having
these three cities as vertices? (Ignore the curvature of
Earth.)

8.2-21
Copyright © 2009 Pearson Addison-Wesley 1.1-21
 Example 5 USING HERON’S FORMULA TO FIND
AN AREA (SSS) (continued)

The semiperimeter s is

Using Heron’s formula, the area  is

8.2-22
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 When to use the Law of Sines and the Law of
Cosines
Four possible cases can occur when solving an
oblique triangle.

8.2-23
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 8.2-24
Copyright © 2009 Pearson Addison-Wesley 1.1-24
 8.2-25
Copyright © 2009 Pearson Addison-Wesley 1.1-25