Find cos 2A if tan A = 5/12 and <A lies in quadrant III.

If A is in quadrant 3, then 2 A is in quadrant 1 or 2

5^2 + 12^2 = 169 = 13^3

so sin A = -5/13
and cos A = -12/13

cos 2A = cos^2 A - sin^2 A
= (144 - 25)/169 = 119/169

To find cos 2A, we need to know the value of cos A. Since we are given tan A = 5/12, we can use the tangent identity to find cos A.

The tangent identity states that tan A = sin A / cos A.

Substituting the given value, we have:

5/12 = sin A / cos A

Next, we can solve this equation for sin A:

5/12 * cos A = sin A

Using the Pythagorean identity (sin^2 A + cos^2 A = 1), we can substitute sin A:

5/12 * cos A = √(1 - cos^2 A)

Simplifying this equation:

25/144 * cos^2 A = 1 - cos^2 A

25/144 * cos^2 A + cos^2 A = 1

(25/144 + 1) * cos^2 A = 1

169/144 * cos^2 A = 1

cos^2 A = 144/169

Since <A lies in quadrant III and cos A is negative in that quadrant, we take the negative square root:

cos A = -12/13

Now that we know the value of cos A, we can find cos 2A using the double-angle identity for cosine:

cos 2A = cos^2 A - sin^2 A

Substituting the values we have derived:

cos 2A = (-12/13)^2 - (5/12)^2

cos 2A = 144/169 - 25/144

cos 2A = (144/169) - (25/144)

cos 2A = (144*144 - 169*25)/(169 * 144)

cos 2A = 16711/27072

Therefore, cos 2A is equal to 16711/27072.