12 + 6.72 = 26.01 + 44.

89

= 70.90

from which, ac = 70.90 = 8.42 m

Now try the following Practise Exercise

Practise Exercise 3â•…_Sines, cosines and

tangents and

Pythagoras’ theorem

In problems 1 to 5, refer to Figure 1.5.

1. If ab = 2.1 m and bc = 1.5 m, determine

angle θ. [35.54°]

2. If ab = 2.3 m and ac = 5.0 m, determine

angle θ. [62.61°]

3. If bc = 3.1 m and ac = 6.4 m, determine

angle θ. [28.97°]

4. If ab = 5.7 cm and bc = 4.2 cm, determine

the length ac [7.08 cm]

5. If ab = 4.1 m and ac = 6.2 m, determine

length bc. [4.65 m]

(c) The sine and cosine rules

For the triangle ABC shown in Figure 1.6,

Figure 1.6

the sine rule states: sin sin sin

abc

A=B=C

and the cosine rule states: a2 = b2 + c2 − 2bc cos A

Problem 8. In Figure 1.6, if a = 3 m, A = 20° and

B = 120°, determine lengths b, c and angle C.

Using the sine rule, sin sin

ab

A=B

i.e.

sin 20 sin120

b°=°

from which, b = 3sin120 3 0.8660

sin 20 0.3420

°×

°=

= 7.596 m

Angle, C = 180° – 20° – 120° = 40°

Using the sine rule again gives: sin sin

ca

C=A

i.e. c =

sin 3 sin 40

sin sin 20

aC

×°

=°

= 5.638 m

Problem 9. In Figure 1.6, if b = 8.2 cm. c = 5.1 cm

and A = 70°, determine the length a and angles B

and C.

From the cosine rule,

a2 = b2 + c2 − 2bc cos A
= 8.22 + 5.12 − 2 × 8.2 × 5.1 × cos 70°

= 67.24 + 26.01 – 2(8.2)(5.1)cos70°

appears on the screen

(ii) Type in 5 then → on the cursor key

(iii) Type in 1 and ↓ on the cursor key

(iv) Type in 5 and 5 15 appears on the screen

(v) Press → on the cursor key

(vi) Type in - and then press Shift then the

Thus, − = = 1 3 29 9

5 5 3 4 20 1 20 = 1.45 as a decimal.

Now try the f

function and 5 15 –

appears on the screen

(vii) Type in 3 then → on the cursor key

(viii) Type in 3 and ↓ on the cursor key

(ix) Type in 4 and 5 1 3 3 5 − 4 appears on the screen

(x) Press = and the answer 29

20 appears

(xi) Press S ⇔ D function and the fraction changes

to a decimal 1.45

Thus, − = = 1 3 29 9

5 5 3 4 20 1 20 = 1.45 as a decimal.

Now try the f

Hence, tan θ = 8

1.3

bc

ab = = 6.1538

from which, θ = tan–1(6.1538) = 80.77º

(b) Pythagoras’ theorem

Pythagoras’ theorem states that:

(hypotenuse)2 = (adjacent side)2 + (opposite side)2

i.e. in the triangle of Figure 1.5,

ac2 = ab2 + bc2

Figure 1.5

Problem 7. In Figure 1.5, if ab = 5.1 m and

bc = 6.7 m, determine the length of the

hypotenuse, ac.

From Pythagoras, ac2 = ab2 + bc2

= 5.12 + 6.72 = 26.01 + 44.89

= 70.90

from which, ac = 70.90 = 8.42 m

Now try the following Practise Exercise

Practise Exercise 3â•…_Sines, cosines and

tangents and

Pythagoras’ theorem

In problems 1 to 5, refer to Figure 1.5.

1. If ab = 2.1 m and bc = 1.5 m, determine

angle θ. [35.54°]

2. If ab = 2.3 m and ac = 5.0 m, determine

angle θ. [62.61°]

3. If bc = 3.1 m and ac = 6.4 m, determine

angle θ. [28.97°]

4. If ab = 5.7 cm and bc = 4.2 cm, determine

the length ac [7.08 cm]

5. If ab = 4.1 m and ac = 6.2 m, determine

length bc. [4.65 m]

(c) The sine and cosine rules

For the triangle ABC shown in Figure 1.6,

Figure 1.6

the sine rule states: sin sin sin

abc

A=B=C

and the cosine rule states: a2 = b2 + c2 − 2bc cos A

Problem 8. In Figure 1.6, if a = 3 m, A = 20° and

B = 120°, determine lengths b, c and angle C.

Using the sine rule, sin sin

ab

A=B

i.e.

sin 20 sin120

b°=°

from which, b = 3sin120 3 0.8660

sin 20 0.3420

°×

°=

= 7.596 m

Angle, C = 180° – 20° – 120° = 40°

Using the sine rule again gives: sin sin

ca

C=A

i.e. c =

sin 3 sin 40

sin sin 20

aC

×°

=°

= 5.638 m

Problem 9. In Figure 1.6, if b = 8.2 cm. c = 5.1 cm

and A = 70°, determine the length a and angles B

and C.

From the cosine rule,

a2 = b2 + c2 − 2bc cos A

= 8.22 + 5.12 − 2 × 8.2 × 5.1 × cos 70°

= 67.24 + 26.01 – 2(8.2)(5.1)cos70°

= 64.643

Hence, length, a = 64.643 = 8.04 cm

Using the sine rule: sin sin

ab

A=B

Revisionary mathematicsâ•… 7

Part One

i.e. 8.04 8.2

sin 70° = sin B

from which, 8.04 sin B = 8.2 sin 70°

and sin B = 8.2sin 70

8.04

= 0.95839

and B = sin−1(0.95839) = 73.41°

Since A + B + C = 180°, then

C = 180° – A – B = 180° – 70° – 73.41° = 36.59°

Now try the following Practise Exercise

Practise Exercise 4â•… Sine and cosine rules

In problems 1 to 4, refer to Figure 1.6.

1. If b = 6 m, c = 4 m and B = 100°, determine

angles A and C and length a.

[A = 38.96°, C = 41.04°, a = 3.83 m]

2. If a = 15 m, c = 23 m and B = 67°, determine

length b and angles A and C.

[b = 22.01 m, A = 38.86°, C = 74.14°]

3. If a = 4 m, b = 8 m and c = 6 m, determine

angle A. [28.96°]

4. If a = 10.0 cm, b = 8.0 cm and c = 7.0 cm,

determine angles A, B and C.

[A = 83.33°, B = 52.62°, C = 44.05°]

5. In Figure 1.7, PR represents the inclined jib

of a crane and is 10.0 m long. PQ is 4.0 m

long. Determine the inclination of the jib to

the vertical (i.e. angle P) and the length of

tie QR.

Figure 1.7

[P = 39.73°, QR = 7.38 m]
1.5â•… Brackets

The use of brackets, which are used in many engineering

equations, is explained through the following

worked problems.

Problem 10. Expand the bracket to determine A,

given A = a(b + c + d)

Multiplying each term in the bracket by ‘a’ gives:

A = a(b + c + d) = ab + ac + ad

Problem 11. Expand the brackets to determine A,

given A = a[b(c + d) – e(f – g)]

When there is more than one set of brackets the

innermost brackets are multiplied out first. Hence,

A = a[b(c + d) – e(f – g)] = a[bc + bd – ef + eg]

Note that –e × –g = +eg

Now multiplying each term in the square brackets by

‘a’ gives:

A = abc + abd – aef + aeg

Problem 12. Expand the brackets to determine A,

given A = a[b(c + d – e) – f(g – h{j – k})]

The inner brackets are determined first, hence

A = a[b(c + d – e) – f (g – h{j – k})]

= a[b(c + d – e) – f (g – hj + hk)]

= a[bc + bd – be – fg + fhj – fhk]

i.e. A = abc + abd – abe – afg + afhj – afhk

Problem 13. Evaluate A, given

A = 2[3(6 – 1) – 4(7{2 + 5} – 6)]

A = 2[3(6 – 1) – 4(7{2 + 5} – 6)]

= 2[3(6 – 1) – 4(7 × 7 – 6)]

= 2[3 × 5 – 4 × 43]

= 2[15 – 172] = 2[– 157] = – 314

Now try the following Practise Exercise

Practise Exercise 5â•… Brackets

In problems 1 to 2, evaluate A

1. A = 3( 2 + 1 + 4) [21]

2. A = 4[5(2 + 1) – 3(6 – 7)] [72]

8â•… Mechanical Engineering Principles

Part One

Expand the brackets in problems 3 to 7.

3. 2(x – 2y + 3) [2x – 4y + 6]

4. (3x – 4y) + 3(y – z) – (z – 4x)

[7x – y – 4z]

5. 2x + [y – (2x + y)] [0]

6. 24a – [2{3(5a – b) – 2(a + 2b)} + 3b]

[11b – 2a]

7. ab[c + d – e(f – g + h{i + j})]

[abc + abd – abef + abeg – abehi – abehj]

1.6â•… Fractions

An example of a fraction is

23

where the top line, i.e.

the 2, is referred to as the numerator and the bottom

line, i.e. the 3, is referred to as the denominator.

A proper fraction is one where the numerator

is smaller than the denominator, examples being

2 , 1 , 3 , 5 3 2 8 16, and so on.

An improper fraction is one where the denominator

is smaller than the numerator, examples being

3 , 2 , 8 , 16 2 1 3 5 , and so on.

Addition of fractions is demonstrated in the following

worked problems.

Problem 14. Evaluate A, given A = 1 1

2+3

The lowest common denominator of the two denominators

2 and 3 is 6, i.e. 6 is the lowest number that both

2 and 3 will divide into.

Then 1 3

2 = 6 and 1 2

3 = 6 i.e. both 1

2 and 1

3 have the

common denominator, namely 6.

The two fractions can therefore be added as:

A=+

11

23

3232

666

=+==

56

Problem 15. Evaluate A, given A =

23

3+4

A common denominator can be obtained by multiplying

the two denominators together, i.e. the common

denominator is 3 × 4 = 12.

The two fractions can now be made equivalent, i.e.

28

3 = 12 and 3 9

4 = 12

so that they can be easily added together, as follows:

A=23

3+4=8

12 +

12 =

8 9 17

12 12

i.e. A = +

23

34=5

112

Problem 16. Evaluate A, given A =

123

6+7+2

A suitable common denominator can be obtained by

multiplying 6 × 7 = 42, because all three denominators

divide exactly into 42.

Thus, 1 7

6 = 42 , 2 12
7 = 42 and

3 63

2 = 42

Hence, A =

123

6+7+2

= 7 12 63 7 12 63 82 41

42 42 42 42 42 21

++

++===

i.e. A = + +

123

672=

20

1 21

Problem 17. Determine A as a single fraction,

given A =

12

x+y

A common denominator can be obtained by multiplying

the two denominators together, i.e. xy

Thus, 1 y

x = xy and

2 2x

y = xy

Hence, A =

12

x+y=y
xy + 2x

xy

i.e. A =

yx

xy

+2

Note that addition, subtraction, multiplication and division

of fractions may be determined using a calculator

(for example, the CASIO fx-83ES or fx-991ES).

Locate the

and functions on your calculator

(the latter function is a shift function found above

the

function) and then check the following worked

problems.

Revisionary mathematicsâ•… 9

Part One

Problem 18. Evaluate 1 2

4+3

(i) Press

function

(ii) Type in 1

(iii) Press ↓ on the cursor key and type in 4

(iv) 1

4 appears on the screen

(v) Press → on the cursor key and type in +

(vi) Press

function

(vii) Type in 2

(viii) Press ↓ on the cursor key and type in 3

(ix) Press → on the cursor key

(x) Press = and the answer 11

12 appears

(xi) Press S ⇔ D function and the fraction changes

to a decimal 0.9166666....

Thus, + = 1 2 11

4 3 12 = 0.9167 as a decimal, correct to

4 decimal places.

It is also possible to deal with mixed numbers on the

calculator.

Press Shift then the

function and

appears

Problem 19. Evaluate 5 15 − 3 43

(i) Press Shift then the

function and

appears on the screen

(ii) Type in 5 then → on the cursor key

(iii) Type in 1 and ↓ on the cursor key

(iv) Type in 5 and 5 15 appears on the screen

(v) Press → on the cursor key

(vi) Type in - and then press Shift then the

function and 5 15 –

appears on the screen

(vii) Type in 3 then → on the cursor key

(viii) Type in 3 and ↓ on the cursor key

(ix) Type in 4 and 5 1 3 3 5 − 4 appears on the screen

(x) Press = and the answer 29

20 appears

(xi) Press S ⇔ D function and the fraction changes

to a decimal 1.45

Thus, − = = 1 3 29 9

5 5 3 4 20 1 20 = 1.45 as a decimal.

Now try the f