Math

Free Law of Cosines Calculator

Find a side from two sides and the included angle.

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Inputs

Result

Side c

8.1854

Angle A47.78°
Angle B72.22°

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Short answer

Find a side from two sides and the included angle.

What is the Law of Cosines Calculator?

Find a side from two sides and the included angle.

How does the Law of Cosines Calculator work?

Enter the inputs above and read the result.

Formula

c² = a² + b² − 2ab·cos(C)

Variables

  • CAngle between sides a and b

Explanation

Generalizes the Pythagorean theorem to any triangle by including the cosine of the included angle.

Examples

Applications

    Advantages

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            Related concepts

            The Law of Cosines Calculator sits inside the Math Calculators hub, in the geometry & shapes cluster. Length, area, volume and angle in two and three dimensions. Understanding the terms below makes the output easier to interpret and easier to compare against neighbouring measures.

            areaperimetervolumesurface areaanglecoordinate plane

            Practical use cases and industry applications

            Understanding Law of Cosines

            Find a side from two sides and the included angle. Within math calculators, law of cosines belongs to the geometry & shapes cluster, where it shares terminology and assumptions with closely related tools.

            Learning how law of cosines is calculated

            Generalizes the Pythagorean theorem to any triangle by including the cosine of the included angle. Working through the variables one at a time — C — makes the result reproducible by hand and easier to sanity-check.

            Using law of cosines to make a decision

            Because outputs depend on the assumptions you enter, run more than one scenario before committing to a figure.

            How law of cosines compares with related measures

            area, perimeter, volume, surface area all describe adjacent aspects of geometry & shapes. Comparing this calculator's output against those measures — using the related tools listed on this page — prevents a single metric from being read in isolation.

            Frequently asked questions

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