Law of Cosines

The video tutorial explains how to solve a problem involving two boats traveling at different speeds and forming a 110-degree angle. The goal is to find the distance between the boats after 30 minutes. The instructor discusses the use of vectors and triangles, ultimately deciding to apply the law of cosines. The problem is broken down into steps, including converting speeds to distances for 30 minutes and performing calculations using the law of cosines. The instructor emphasizes the importance of ensuring the calculator is set to degrees and verifies the solution through calculations.

What is the angle formed by the courses of the two boats?

If one boat travels at 24 mph and the other at 32 mph, how far apart will they be after 30 minutes?

What method should be used to calculate the distance between the two boats?

How do you convert the speed of the boats from miles per hour to the distance traveled in 30 minutes?

What is the formula for the law of cosines as mentioned in the text?

What values are substituted into the law of cosines to find the distance between the boats?

What is the final calculated distance between the two boats after rounding?