Question

A triangle has sides A, B, and C. Sides A and B have lengths of 8 and 12, respectively. The angle between A and C is `(3pi)/4` and the angle between B and C is `pi/3`. What is the area of the triangle?

Answer 1

This can't be a real triangle the Law of Sines is not satisfied.

Explanation:

No no no! Triangles have sides `a,b,c` and vertices `A,B,C`. Here `a=8, b=12,` `B={3\pi}/4,` `A=\pi/3`.

Yet another trig problem based only on angles related to 30 and 45 degrees.

This can't be a real triangle because:

`a/sin A ne b / sin B`

`a/sin A = 8/sin(pi/3) = 8/(\sqrt{3}/2) = 16/sqrt{3}`

`b/sin A= 12/sin(3pi/4) = 12/(sqrt{2}/2) = 24/sqrt{2}`

They're not equal.

That's too bad, because the area would have been calculated as:

`text{area} = 1/2 a b sin C`

`= 1 /2 (8)(12) sin(pi - {3pi}/4 - pi/3)`

`= 48 sin( {3 pi}/4 - pi/3)`

`= 48 ( sin({3pi}/4) cos(pi/3) - cos({3pi}/4) sin(pi/3) )`

`= 48 ( (\sqrt{2}/2) (1/2) - (- \sqrt{2}/2) (\sqrt{3}/2) )`

`= 12(sqrt{2} + sqrt{6})`

But it's not.

Answer 2

`color(crimson)("Such a triangle cannot exist"`

Explanation:

`a = 8, hat A = pi/3, b = 12, hat B = (3pi)/4`

`color(maroon)("THEOREM. A greater angle of a triangle is opposite a greater side. "`
`color(brown)("Let ABC be a triangle in which angle ABC is "`

`color(brown)("greater than angle BCA; then side AC is also greater than side AB"`

`color(crimson)("But though " a < b, hat A > hat B`

`color(crimson)("Such a triangle cannot exist"`