Given three segments with lengths , , and , which of the following sets of values could form a triangle according to the Law of Sines and the triangle inequality?
Table of contents
- 0. Review of College Algebra4h 43m
- 1. Measuring Angles40m
- 2. Trigonometric Functions on Right Triangles2h 5m
- 3. Unit Circle1h 19m
- 4. Graphing Trigonometric Functions1h 19m
- 5. Inverse Trigonometric Functions and Basic Trigonometric Equations1h 41m
- 6. Trigonometric Identities and More Equations2h 34m
- 7. Non-Right Triangles1h 38m
- 8. Vectors2h 25m
- 9. Polar Equations2h 5m
- 10. Parametric Equations1h 6m
- 11. Graphing Complex Numbers1h 7m
7. Non-Right Triangles
Law of Sines
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Join thousands of students who trust us to help them ace their exams!Watch the first videoMultiple Choice
Given that , , , and , which of the following best describes the relationship between the angles in two triangles that allows the Law of Sines to be applied?
A
The triangles are right triangles because each has a angle.
B
The triangles are similar because their corresponding angles are equal.
C
The triangles are congruent because all their sides are equal.
D
The triangles are isosceles because two angles in each triangle are equal.
Verified step by step guidance1
Identify the given information: \( m\angle 1 = m\angle 4 \), \( m\angle 2 = m\angle 3 \), \( m\angle 1 + m\angle 4 = 180^\circ \), and \( m\angle 2 + m\angle 3 = 180^\circ \). This tells us that the pairs of angles are equal and supplementary in their respective triangles.
Recall that the Law of Sines applies to any triangle, but it is especially useful when the triangles involved are similar, meaning their corresponding angles are equal and their sides are proportional.
Since \( m\angle 1 = m\angle 4 \) and \( m\angle 2 = m\angle 3 \), the two triangles have two pairs of equal corresponding angles. By the Angle-Angle (AA) similarity criterion, this means the triangles are similar.
Understand that similarity of triangles implies that their corresponding sides are proportional, which is the key condition that allows the Law of Sines to be applied between the two triangles.
Therefore, the best description of the relationship between the angles in the two triangles that allows the Law of Sines to be applied is that the triangles are similar because their corresponding angles are equal.
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