Exercise 6.1.5 solution

\(a = 10, b = 4, B = 20^\circ\)

\(\dfrac{\sin A}{10}=\dfrac{\sin 20^\circ}{4}\) so \(\sin A=\dfrac{10\sin20^\circ}{4}=0.8550\)

There are two angles between \(0^\circ\) and \(180^\circ\) whose sine is \(0.8550\): \(58.8^\circ\) and \(121.2^\circ\).

Since the larger of the two angles, when added to the given angle \(20^\circ\) is only \(141.2^\circ\), which is still less than \(180^\circ\), the larger angle is a possible solution. There will be two different solutions to this triangle.

Solution #1

\(A = 58.8^\circ, C = 180^\circ - 2^\circ - 58.8^\circ = 101.2^\circ\).

Then \(\dfrac{c}{\sin101.2^\circ}=\dfrac{4}{\sin20^\circ}\) so \(c=\dfrac{4\sin101.2^\circ}{\sin20^\circ}=11.4\).

So one solution is \(A = 58.8^\circ, C = 101.2^\circ, c=11.4\)

Solution #2

\(A = 121.2^\circ, C = 180^\circ - 20^\circ - 121.2^\circ = 38.8^\circ\)

Then \(\dfrac{c}{\sin38.8^\circ}=\dfrac{4}{\sin20^\circ}\) so \(c=\dfrac{4\sin38.8^\circ}{\sin20^\circ}=7.3\)

So a second solution is \(A = 121.2^\circ, C = 38.8^\circ, c=7.3\)