How do you use law of sines to solve the triangle given A = 57° , a = 11, b = 10?

1 Answer
Nov 23, 2015

#A=57°#
#B=arcsin((10sin(57°))/11)~~49.678696410324°#
#C=123°-arcsin((10sin(57°))/11)~~73.321303589676°#
#a=11#
#b=10#
#c=(11sin(123°-arcsin((10sin(57°))/11)))/sin(57°)~~12.564196743012485#

Explanation:

First, you should know what the Law of Sines is. It is simply this:

#" "a/sinA=b/sinB=c/sinC#

Now let's look at our given. We have:

#A=57°#, #a=11#, and #b=10#

We need to look for #B#, #C#, and #c#.

Step 1 - Solving for #B#

Law of Sines

#[1]" "a/sinA=b/sinB#

Plug in the values of #A#, #a#, and #b#.

#[2]" "11/sin(57°)=10/sinB#

Multiply both sides by #(sinB)[sin(57°)]#.

#[3]" "11/cancelsin(57°)(sinB)cancel[sin(57°)]=10/cancelsinBcancel(sinB)[sin(57°)]#

#[4]" "11sinB=10sin(57°)#

Divide both sides by #11#.

#[5]" "sinB=(10sin(57°))/11#

Apply #arcsin# on both sides.

#[6]" "arcsin(sinB)=arcsin((10sin(57°))/11)#

#[7]" "color(blue)(B=arcsin((10sin(57°))/11)~~49.678696410324°)#

Step 2 - Solving for #C#

The sum of the interior angles of all triangles is #180°#.

#[1]" "A+B+C=180°#

Isolate #C#.

#[2]" "C=180°-A-B#

Plug in the values of #A# and #B#.

#[3]" "C=180°-57°-arcsin((10sin(57°))/11)#

#[4]" "color(blue)(C=123°-arcsin((10sin(57°))/11)~~73.321303589676°)#

Step 3 - Solving for #c#

Law of Sines

#[1]" "c/sinC=a/sinA#

Multiply both sides by #sinC#

#[2]" "c/cancelsinCcancel(sinC)=a/sinA(sinC)#

#[3]" "c=(asinC)/sinA#

Plug in the values of #A#, #a#, and #C#.

#[4]" "color(blue)(c=(11sin(123°-arcsin((10sin(57°))/11)))/sin(57°)~~12.564196743012485)#