Common Problem - Law of Cosines

Which picture represents this problem?

A pole is leading towards a building. To stop the pole from leaning further, a cable is secured from the top of the pole to a stake in the ground opposite of

the building.

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• 
• 
• 

A 35-foot tall pole is leading towards a building. To stop the pole from leaning further, a

48-foot long cable is secured from the top of the pole to a stake in the ground opposite of

the building. If the stake is 30 feet from the pole, what angle does the cable make with

the pole?

Label the lengths as described in the problem.

b

c

d

a

48 ft

30 ft

35 ft

• bc
• Cos A
• Cos B
• Cos C
• ac
• ab

Which is the correct set up to solve for X using Law of Cosines?