Law of Cosines

Algebra: Trigonometry Help


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Given a triangle with sides a, b and c and angle X, the Law of Cosines states

c2 = a2 + b2 - (2)(a)(b)(cos X)

Of course, the Pythagorean theorem is a special case of the Law of Cosines because we have a right angle triangle and in this case angle X = 90o and we know that cos 90o = 0 and we are left with c2 = a2 + b2

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