To find the distance from the house at A to the house at B, a surveyor measures the angle ACB, which is found to be 70°, and then walks off the distance to each house, 50 feet(A to C) and 70 feet(C to B), respectively. How far apart are the houses? (answer to 1 decimal place) in feet

Question

amistre64 · Answer

so we got a ABC tri

AC =50 ;BC = 70  and angle c=70 degrees

law of cosines

amistre64 · Answer

(AB)^2 = 50^2 + 70^2 -2(50)(70) cos(70)

amistre64 · Answer

google gives me:

sqrt((50^2) + (70^2) - (2 * 50 * 70 * cos(70))) = 54.4680234

amistre64 · Answer

54.5

anonymous · Answer

the answer is wrong :)

anonymous · Answer

would the answer be 85.8?

amistre64 · Answer

attachment

amistre64 · Answer

i got the 50 and 70 backwards in the diagram; but that doesnt affect the answer

anonymous · Answer

ye true. when i calculated it i got 85.8? calc error?

amistre64 · Answer

2500 + 4900 - 7000(cos(70)) = 54.4680

amistre64 · Answer

well; the square root of that equals 54.4680

amistre64 · Answer

54.4; try that?

anonymous · Answer

sry im gettin 70.75

amistre64 · Answer

then your hitting the wrong button lol

amistre64 · Answer

did you typo the original question you posted?

anonymous · Answer

nah i typed it correctly. could it be the picture u drew?

amistre64 · Answer

the picture?  lol.... that doesnt affect the math

amistre64 · Answer

i labeld it and everything lol

anonymous · Answer

i put in 70.8. that is the correct answer

amistre64 · Answer

what formula did you use?

anonymous · Answer

the exact same that you used. i think its just a calc error

amistre64 · Answer

i used afew different calculators :)

anonymous · Answer

haha lol. hey do u know how i can put a pic with my question?

amistre64 · Answer

http://www.wolframalpha.com/input/?i=sqrt%2850^2+%2B70^2+-%282*70*50*cos%2870%29%29%29

amistre64 · Answer

if you have it in a file on your comluter; just use the 'attach file' button located at the bottom of this reply window

amistre64 · Answer

wolfram says your right lol

anonymous · Answer

lol but i give u all the credit hahaha

amistre64 · Answer

my calcs were in radians disguised as degrees lol

amistre64 · Answer

70 rads is not the same as 70 degrees

anonymous · Answer

hahah. i always do that mistake

amistre64 · Answer

there should be a "are you sure your not forgetting something" option that pops up lol

anonymous · Answer

haha if only!! that would be epic.

anonymous · Answer

mate which country r u from?

amistre64 · Answer

usa... down here in florida

anonymous · Answer

wow thats a long way from here!! im down under at australia

amistre64 · Answer

yeah; but it shorter if you go thru hyperspace ;)

anonymous · Answer

hahahaha true that!!! you better invent that one day