Solved: Approximating the Area of a Lake To approximate | StudySoup

Textbook Solutions for Algebra and Trigonometry

Chapter 9 Problem 9.4.40

Question

Approximating the Area of a Lake To approximate the area of a lake, a surveyor walks around the perimeter of the lake, taking the measurements shown in the illustration. Using this technique, what is the approximate area of the lake? [Hint: Use the Law of Cosines on the three triangles shown and then find the sum of their areas.]

Solution

Step 1 of 4

Consider the labelled diagram shown below.

                                                   

Consider the triangle \(\mathrm{CDE}\), the angle \(\angle D E C\) is,

                                                \(\angle D E C+100^{\circ}=190^{\circ}\)

                                                \(\angle D E C=80^{\circ}\)

Consider the equation for side \(C D\) by the law of cosine is,

                                                \(C D=\sqrt{D E^{2}+C D^{2}-2(D E)(C D) \cos 80^{\circ}}\)

                                               \(=\sqrt{(45)^{2}+(20)^{2}-2(45)(20) \cos 80^{\circ}}\)

                                               \(=45.96 \mathrm{ft}\)

Apply heron's formula and obtain the value of the semi perimeter.

                                                    \(s=\frac{C D+D E+E C}{2}\)

   

                                                   \(=\frac{45.96+45+20}{2}\)

                                                   \(=55.48 \mathrm{ft}\)

 

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full solution

Title Algebra and Trigonometry 8 
Author Michael Sullivan
ISBN 9780132329033

Solved: Approximating the Area of a Lake To approximate

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