A triangle has sides A, B, and C. Sides A and B have lengths of 2 and 6, respectively. The angle between A and C is (pi)/8 and the angle between B and C is (3pi)/4. What is the area of the triangle?

1 Answer
Jan 27, 2018

Area = 6sin(pi/8) = 3sqrt(2-sqrt(2)) approx 2.296.

Explanation:

We know a=2, b=6, B=pi/8, and A=(3pi)/4.

We can calculate C=pi-(pi/8+(3pi)/4) = pi/8.

The area of the triangle is 1/2a*b*sin(C), so:

Area = 1/2(2)(6)sin(pi/8) = 6sin(pi/8)

You can find sin(pi/8) using the half-angle formula for sine:

sin(x/2) = sqrt((1-cos(x))/2)

So sin(pi/8)= sqrt((1-cos(pi/4))/2)

=sqrt((1-sqrt(2)/2)/2) = sqrt(((2-sqrt(2))/2)/2) = sqrt(2-sqrt(2))/2

so, back to the area:

Area = 6sin(pi/8) = 6sqrt(2-sqrt(2))/2 = 3sqrt(2-sqrt(2))

or Area approx 2.296