Yahoo Answers is shutting down on May 4th, 2021 (Eastern Time) and beginning April 20th, 2021 (Eastern Time) the Yahoo Answers website will be in read-only mode. There will be no changes to other Yahoo properties or services, or your Yahoo account. You can find more information about the Yahoo Answers shutdown and how to download your data on this help page.

? asked in Science & MathematicsMathematics · 4 years ago

How do you solve this equation?

Solve for x: 3^2+4^2-2(3)(4)cos(x)=5^2+6^2-2(5)(6)cos(180-x)

2 Answers

Relevance
  • Anonymous
    4 years ago

    3^2+4^2-2(3)(4)cos(x)=5^2+6^2-2(5)(6)cos(180-x)

    9+16-24cos(x)=25+36-60cos(180-x)

    25-24cos(x)=61-60cos(180-x)

    *cos(180-x)=-cos(x)*

    -36-24cos(x)=-60(-cos(x))

    -36-24cos(x)=60cos(x)

    -36=84cos(x)

    -36/84=cos(x)

    -3/7=cos(x)

    Since cosine is negative in both quadrants II and III,

    x=115.4 and x=295.4

  • Rogue
    Lv 7
    4 years ago

    3^2 + 4^2 − 2(3)(4)cos(x) = 5^2 + 6^2 − 2(5)(6)cos(180 − x)

    ∴ 9 + 16 − 24cos(x) = 25 + 36 − 60cos(180 − x)

    ∴ 60cos(180 − x) − 24cos(x) = 36

    ∴ 12(5cos(180 − x) − 2cos(x)) = 36

    ∴ 5cos(180 − x) − 2cos(x) = 3

    given cos(α − β) = cos(α)cos(β) + sin(α)sin(β)

    ∴ 5cos(180)cos(x) + 5sin(180)sin(x) − 2cos(x) = 3

    Strictly speaking as written that's 180 radians not 180° but I'll assume you mean 180° as it give a clean answer

    ∴ -5cos(x) − 2cos(x) = 3

    ∴ -7cos(x) = 3

    ∴ cos(x) = -3/7

    ∴ x = 360°n ± cos⁻¹(-3/7) where n∈ℤ

Still have questions? Get your answers by asking now.