Trigonometry: Right-angled triangle

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Brian Bart
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  • Exam question 6 with a right-angled triangle ABC: angle CAB 40 degrees, BC 15.2 cm, hypotenuse AB, point D on CA with BD 18.4 cm, followed by a student's handwritten working for parts (i) to (iii).
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  • Handwritten worked solution: Pythagoras gives DC = DB - CB = 18.4 - 15.2 = 3.2 cm, then the sine rule gives AB = 18.4 x sin(120°) / sin(40°) = 24.7..., so AB is 25 cm to 2 s.f.
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part (i) of the student's response is correct.

part (ii) has an algebra error in determining the length of DC

if $DC^2 = DB^2 - CB^2$, then $DC \ne DB - CB$

the trig for part (iii) is correct ... can't say I agree with using 120 degrees for angle ADB since it induces rounding error in determining the length of AB.

Using the equation $\sin(40) = \dfrac{BC}{AB} \implies AB = \dfrac{BC}{\sin(40)}$ will not induce that error.
 
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