Find the unknown angles in triangle ABC for each triangle that exists.
B = 74.3°, a = 859 m, b = 783 m
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Step 1: Use the Law of Sines to find angle A. The Law of Sines states that \( \frac{a}{\sin A} = \frac{b}{\sin B} \). Substitute the known values: \( \frac{859}{\sin A} = \frac{783}{\sin 74.3^\circ} \).
Step 2: Solve for \( \sin A \) by rearranging the equation: \( \sin A = \frac{859 \cdot \sin 74.3^\circ}{783} \).
Step 3: Calculate \( \sin A \) using the values from Step 2. Then, use the inverse sine function to find angle A: \( A = \sin^{-1}(\text{calculated value}) \).
Step 4: Use the fact that the sum of angles in a triangle is 180° to find angle C: \( C = 180^\circ - A - B \).
Step 5: Verify if the calculated angles satisfy the triangle inequality theorem and check if the triangle exists with the given sides and angles.
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Key Concepts
Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.
Law of Sines
The Law of Sines states that the ratio of the length of a side of a triangle to the sine of its opposite angle is constant for all three sides and angles. This relationship can be expressed as a/b = sin(A)/sin(B) = c/sin(C). It is particularly useful for finding unknown angles or sides in non-right triangles when given sufficient information.
The Triangle Sum Theorem asserts that the sum of the interior angles of a triangle is always 180 degrees. This fundamental property allows us to find an unknown angle if the other two angles are known, making it essential for solving problems involving triangle angles.
Solving Right Triangles with the Pythagorean Theorem
Angle-Angle-Side (AAS) Criterion
The Angle-Angle-Side (AAS) criterion states that if two angles and a non-included side of one triangle are congruent to two angles and the corresponding non-included side of another triangle, the two triangles are congruent. This concept is useful in determining unknown angles and sides in triangles, especially when combined with the Law of Sines.