# 5.8 Non-right triangles: law of cosines  (Page 3/8)

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## Using the law of cosines to solve a communication problem

On many cell phones with GPS, an approximate location can be given before the GPS signal is received. This is accomplished through a process called triangulation, which works by using the distances from two known points. Suppose there are two cell phone towers within range of a cell phone. The two towers are located 6000 feet apart along a straight highway, running east to west, and the cell phone is north of the highway. Based on the signal delay, it can be determined that the signal is 5050 feet from the first tower and 2420 feet from the second tower. Determine the position of the cell phone north and east of the first tower, and determine how far it is from the highway.

For simplicity, we start by drawing a diagram similar to [link] and labeling our given information.

Using the Law of Cosines, we can solve for the angle $\text{\hspace{0.17em}}\theta .\text{\hspace{0.17em}}$ Remember that the Law of Cosines uses the square of one side to find the cosine of the opposite angle. For this example, let $\text{\hspace{0.17em}}a=2420,b=5050,\text{\hspace{0.17em}}$ and $\text{\hspace{0.17em}}c=6000.\text{\hspace{0.17em}}$ Thus, $\text{\hspace{0.17em}}\theta \text{\hspace{0.17em}}$ corresponds to the opposite side $\text{\hspace{0.17em}}a=2420.\text{\hspace{0.17em}}$

To answer the questions about the phone’s position north and east of the tower, and the distance to the highway, drop a perpendicular from the position of the cell phone, as in [link] . This forms two right triangles, although we only need the right triangle that includes the first tower for this problem.

Using the angle $\text{\hspace{0.17em}}\theta =23.3°\text{\hspace{0.17em}}$ and the basic trigonometric identities, we can find the solutions. Thus

The cell phone is approximately 4638 feet east and 1998 feet north of the first tower, and 1998 feet from the highway.

## Calculating distance traveled using a sas triangle

Returning to our problem at the beginning of this section, suppose a boat leaves port, travels 10 miles, turns 20 degrees, and travels another 8 miles. How far from port is the boat? The diagram is repeated here in [link] .

The boat turned 20 degrees, so the obtuse angle of the non-right triangle is the supplemental angle, $180°-20°=160°.\text{\hspace{0.17em}}$ With this, we can utilize the Law of Cosines to find the missing side of the obtuse triangle—the distance of the boat to the port.

$\begin{array}{l}\text{\hspace{0.17em}}{x}^{2}={8}^{2}+{10}^{2}-2\left(8\right)\left(10\right)\mathrm{cos}\left(160°\right)\hfill \\ \text{\hspace{0.17em}}{x}^{2}=314.35\hfill \\ \text{\hspace{0.17em}}\text{\hspace{0.17em}}\text{\hspace{0.17em}}\text{\hspace{0.17em}}x=\sqrt{314.35}\hfill \\ \text{\hspace{0.17em}}\text{\hspace{0.17em}}\text{\hspace{0.17em}}\text{\hspace{0.17em}}x\approx 17.7\text{\hspace{0.17em}}\text{miles}\hfill \end{array}$

The boat is about 17.7 miles from port.

## Using heron’s formula to find the area of a triangle

We already learned how to find the area of an oblique triangle when we know two sides and an angle. We also know the formula to find the area of a triangle using the base and the height. When we know the three sides, however, we can use Heron’s formula instead of finding the height. Heron of Alexandria was a geometer who lived during the first century A.D. He discovered a formula for finding the area of oblique triangles when three sides are known.

where we get a research paper on Nano chemistry....?
nanopartical of organic/inorganic / physical chemistry , pdf / thesis / review
Ali
what are the products of Nano chemistry?
There are lots of products of nano chemistry... Like nano coatings.....carbon fiber.. And lots of others..
learn
Even nanotechnology is pretty much all about chemistry... Its the chemistry on quantum or atomic level
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da
no nanotechnology is also a part of physics and maths it requires angle formulas and some pressure regarding concepts
Bhagvanji
hey
Giriraj
Preparation and Applications of Nanomaterial for Drug Delivery
revolt
da
Application of nanotechnology in medicine
what is variations in raman spectra for nanomaterials
ya I also want to know the raman spectra
Bhagvanji
I only see partial conversation and what's the question here!
what about nanotechnology for water purification
please someone correct me if I'm wrong but I think one can use nanoparticles, specially silver nanoparticles for water treatment.
Damian
yes that's correct
Professor
I think
Professor
Nasa has use it in the 60's, copper as water purification in the moon travel.
Alexandre
nanocopper obvius
Alexandre
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Rafiq
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Damian
How we are making nano material?
what is a peer
What is meant by 'nano scale'?
What is STMs full form?
LITNING
scanning tunneling microscope
Sahil
how nano science is used for hydrophobicity
Santosh
Do u think that Graphene and Fullrene fiber can be used to make Air Plane body structure the lightest and strongest. Rafiq
Rafiq
what is differents between GO and RGO?
Mahi
what is simplest way to understand the applications of nano robots used to detect the cancer affected cell of human body.? How this robot is carried to required site of body cell.? what will be the carrier material and how can be detected that correct delivery of drug is done Rafiq
Rafiq
if virus is killing to make ARTIFICIAL DNA OF GRAPHENE FOR KILLED THE VIRUS .THIS IS OUR ASSUMPTION
Anam
analytical skills graphene is prepared to kill any type viruses .
Anam
Any one who tell me about Preparation and application of Nanomaterial for drug Delivery
Hafiz
what is Nano technology ?
write examples of Nano molecule?
Bob
The nanotechnology is as new science, to scale nanometric
brayan
nanotechnology is the study, desing, synthesis, manipulation and application of materials and functional systems through control of matter at nanoscale
Damian
Is there any normative that regulates the use of silver nanoparticles?
what king of growth are you checking .?
Renato
What fields keep nano created devices from performing or assimulating ? Magnetic fields ? Are do they assimilate ?
why we need to study biomolecules, molecular biology in nanotechnology?
?
Kyle
yes I'm doing my masters in nanotechnology, we are being studying all these domains as well..
why?
what school?
Kyle
biomolecules are e building blocks of every organics and inorganic materials.
Joe
how did you get the value of 2000N.What calculations are needed to arrive at it
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