Use the Law of Cosines to solve the following problem:

Bob is standing 25 feet from a lamppost that is to his left and 30 feet from a lamppost that is to his right. The distance between the two lampposts is 20 feet. What is the measure of the angle formed by the lines from each lamppost to Bob? Approximate to the nearest degree.

1. \( 20^2 = 25^2 + 30^2 - 2(25)(30) \cos(A) \)
2. \( 400 = 625 + 900 - (1500) \cos(A) \)
3. \( 400 = 1525 - (1500) \cos(A) \)
4. \( -1125 = -(1500) \cos(A) \)

[tex]\( \cos(A) = \square \)[/tex] degrees



Answer :

We need to find the measure of the angle \(A\) formed between the lines from each lamppost to Bob using the Law of Cosines.

Given distances:
- \(a = 25\) feet (distance from Bob to the left lamppost)
- \(b = 30\) feet (distance from Bob to the right lamppost)
- \(c = 20\) feet (distance between the two lampposts)

According to the Law of Cosines:
[tex]\[ c^2 = a^2 + b^2 - 2ab \cos(A) \][/tex]

Substituting the known values into the equation:
[tex]\[ 20^2 = 25^2 + 30^2 - 2 \cdot 25 \cdot 30 \cdot \cos(A) \][/tex]

Step-by-step solution:
1. Calculate the squares of the lengths:
[tex]\[ 20^2 = 400 \][/tex]
[tex]\[ 25^2 = 625 \][/tex]
[tex]\[ 30^2 = 900 \][/tex]

2. Substitute these values into the equation:
[tex]\[ 400 = 625 + 900 - 2 \cdot 25 \cdot 30 \cdot \cos(A) \][/tex]

3. Combine the constant terms on the right side:
[tex]\[ 400 = 1525 - 1500 \cos(A) \][/tex]

4. Rearrange to solve for \(\cos(A)\):
[tex]\[ 400 = 1525 - 1500 \cos(A) \][/tex]
[tex]\[ 400 - 1525 = -1500 \cos(A) \][/tex]
[tex]\[ -1125 = -1500 \cos(A) \][/tex]

5. Divide both sides by -1500:
[tex]\[ \cos(A) = \frac{-1125}{-1500} \][/tex]
[tex]\[ \cos(A) = 0.75 \][/tex]

Now, we need to find the angle \(A\) by taking the arccosine (inverse cosine) of 0.75.

[tex]\[ A = \arccos(0.75) \][/tex]

This angle in radians:
[tex]\[ A \approx 0.7227 \text{ radians} \][/tex]

Convert this angle to degrees:
[tex]\[ A \approx 41.41 \text{ degrees} \][/tex]

Approximately to the nearest degree:
[tex]\[ A \approx 41^\circ \][/tex]

Thus, the measure of the angle formed from the line from each lamppost to Bob is [tex]\( \boxed{41} \)[/tex] degrees.

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