document.write( "Question 146543: I am having a problem understanding where the answer is coming from in this question. Any assistance would be appreciated. The question is, a plane flies at a bearing due east from the airport for 120 km. It changes directon to 30 degrees and then travels and additional 50 km. How far is the plane from the airport. I used the Law of Cosines of c^2 = a^2 + b^2 - 2abCosC. Which I used a = 50 and b = 120. Cos C = 30 degrees. So my final answer is 2500 + 14,400 - 2(50)(120)*.8666 = 6500. a^2 = 6500 = 80.62 km. \r
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "But the answer says I should be using a^2 = b^2 + c^2-2bc CosA. They use 120 for b and 50 for C and 120 degrees for Cosine A. Answer is 151 km. Please advise why I am to be using Cos 120 and not Cos30. I am reading if it says it changes direction to 30 degrees, not just 30 degrees, that it is going north towards 30 degrees, Perhaps this is not correct. Thank you.
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Algebra.Com's Answer #107008 by Alan3354(69443)\"\" \"About 
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
120 degs is the angle between the 2 headings.
\n" ); document.write( "\"Due East\" is a heading of 090. If you draw that, then draw a line from the end of it heading 030, you'll see that. It's a change of direction of 60 degs, but the internal angle is 120.
\n" ); document.write( "A heading of 030 is 30 degs \"to the right\" of vertical.
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