Lab 8 - Solving General Triangles Graphically
PDF of the Lab Questions
We have been "solving" triangles in class the last few days, using trig function definitions for right triangles and the Law of Sines and Law of Cosines for oblique triangles. To solve a triangle means to use given information about lengths of its sides and/or measurements of its angles to determine the unknown lengths of sides and/or measurements of angles. Usually we have been interested in obtaining numerical values for these quantities. In this lab we will first determine missing parts geometrically, by dragging angles and line segments around the plane.
In each figure on the next pages the line segments and angles have two points highlighted with circles. Drag the closed circle and the object is translated, drag the open circle and the object is rotated. With these two motions you can place the line segments and angles to construct triangles with specified sides and/or angles, and see what the missing parts must be. Important: When you place a line segment on an angle, line it up so the endpoint of the line segment is on the vertex of the angle.
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