A dog walks due east 180 feet to a corner. After turning through an angle of [tex]\(81.5^\circ\)[/tex], the dog walks 329 feet to the second corner. Then the dog walks back to the starting point.

What is the area of the triangle formed by his path?

Round to the nearest hundredth.



Answer :

To determine the area of the triangle formed by the dog's path, we use the following steps:

### Step 1: Understand the Scenario
The dog walks along two sides of a triangle. The first side [tex]\(a\)[/tex] is 180 feet, the second side [tex]\(b\)[/tex] is 329 feet, and the angle between them is [tex]\(81.5^\circ\)[/tex].

### Step 2: Use the Area Formula for a Triangle
The area [tex]\(A\)[/tex] of the triangle can be calculated using the formula:
[tex]\[ A = \frac{1}{2} \times a \times b \times \sin(C) \][/tex]
where [tex]\(a\)[/tex] and [tex]\(b\)[/tex] are the lengths of the two sides, and [tex]\(C\)[/tex] is the included angle.

### Step 3: Convert the Angle to Radians
To use the sine function correctly in calculations, we need to convert the angle from degrees to radians:
[tex]\[ 81.5^\circ = 1.4224 \, \text{radians} \][/tex]

### Step 4: Calculate the Area
Substitute the values into the formula:
[tex]\[ A = \frac{1}{2} \times 180 \, \text{feet} \times 329 \, \text{feet} \times \sin(1.4224 \, \text{radians}) \][/tex]

### Step 5: Perform the Computation
Calculate the area:
[tex]\[ A \approx 29284.76 \, \text{ft}^2 \][/tex]

### Conclusion
The area of the triangle formed by the dog's path is:
[tex]\[ \boxed{29284.76 \, \text{ft}^2} \][/tex]

This result is rounded to the nearest hundredth as required.

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