Two corners of a triangle have angles of #pi / 8 # and # pi / 6 #. If one side of the triangle has a length of #4 #, what is the longest possible perimeter of the triangle?

1 Answer
Jun 2, 2016

Longest possible perimeter is #17.519#.

Explanation:

As two angles are #pi/8# and #pi/6#, third angle is #pi-pi/8-pi/6=(24pi-3pi-4pi)/24-(17pi)/24#.

For longest perimeter side of length #4#, say #a#, has to be opposite smallest angle #pi/8# and then using sine formula other two sides will be

#4/(sin(pi/8))=b/(sin(pi/6))=c/(sin((17pi)/24))#

Hence #b=(4sin(pi/6))/(sin(pi/8))=(4xx0.5)/0.3827=5.226#

and #c=(4xxsin((17pi)/24))/(sin(pi/8))=(4xx0.7934)/0.3827=8.293#

Hence longest perimeter is #4+5.226+8.293=17.519#.