Monday, April 1, 2013

Given the triangle ABC, what is cos(A/2)*cos(B/2)*cos(C/2)?

Since we'll have to evaluate the product of cosines, we'll
apply the law of cosines:


cos A/2= sqrt
(p(p-a)/b*c),


Half perimeter p: p=(a+b+c)/2 and a,b,c, are
the length of the opposite sides to the A,B,C, angles.


cos
B/2= sqrt (p(p-b)/a*c)


cos C/2= sqrt
(p(p-c)/b*a)


We'll evaluate the
product:


cos A/2*cos B/2*cos C/2= sqrt
[p(p-a)*p(p-b)*p(p-c)/a^2*b^2*c^2]


cos A/2*cos B/2*cos
C/2=p*sqrt[p(p-a)*(p-b)*(p-c)]/a*b*c


We recognize the
Heron's formula for evaluating the area:


A =
sqrt[p(p-a)*(p-b)*(p-c)]


cos A/2*cos B/2*cos
C/2=p*A/a*b*c


The requested product is: cos
A/2*cos B/2*cos C/2=p*A/a*b*c

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