Question

What is the distance between the following polar coordinates?: `(9,(17pi)/12), (4,(3pi)/8)`

Answer 1

Using the Law of Cosines

Explanation:

Plotting these two points, there is a triangle formed whose central angle measures
`3pi/8 + 7pi/12 = 23pi/24`
By the Law of Cosines, the distance, c, between the points is found by
`c^2 = 9^2 + 4^2 - (9)(4)cos((23pi)/24)`
That is...
`c^2 = 97 - 36cos((23pi)/24)`
The value of c is the positive square root of the expression on the right side.