For any triangle, develop a formula [or algortihm] that will find the length of the segment that connects the vertex of a triangle to any point on the opposite side. For example, in the diagram, your formula or algorithm would help someone calculate the length of segment CD. Click this link to view the picture.
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a328/X_Frankie_Iero_X/extracredit.jpg
Just for your information, this is no sort of homework, project, essay, etc. It is mainly extra credit, so it's not my teacher has reviewed this. Obviously I can't ask my teacher for help, mainly because it's extra credit.
2006-09-29 16:45:29 · 5 answers · asked by David 3 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Mathematics
a2 (a squared) + b2 (b squared) = c2 (c squared) / The Pythagorean Theorem only applies for right triangles. a2+b2
2006-09-29 16:48:19 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
Hi. Hint: Any triangle can be turned into two right triangles if you drop a line from any vertex perpendicular to the opposite side.
2006-09-29 23:51:45 · answer #2 · answered by Cirric 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
What you are after is deriving the Law of Cosines from Trigonometry. I don't know if there is any way to do this without using trig functions, and I've long since forgotten the proof. Try this site:
http://mathforum.org/library/drmath/view/51876.html
2006-09-30 00:11:05 · answer #3 · answered by Helmut 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
You need to know some of the parameters of the triangle as well as where point D is in order for this to be solvable.
If you do, you can use the law of cosines.
For example,
(CD)^2 = (AC)^2 + (AD)^2 - 2(AC)(AD)cos(angle CAD)
or
(CD)^2 = (BC)^2 + (BD)^2 - 2(BC)(BD)cos(angle CBD)
2006-09-29 23:57:18 · answer #4 · answered by Scott R 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
How is extra credit not homework?
2006-09-29 23:49:09 · answer #5 · answered by Pseudo Obscure 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋