Confusing square

Geometry Level 5

The rectangle A B C D ABCD^{}_{} below has dimensions A B = 12 3 AB^{}_{} = 12 \sqrt{3} and B C = 13 3 BC^{}_{} = 13 \sqrt{3} . Diagonals A C \overline{AC} and B D \overline{BD} intersect at P P^{}_{} . If triangle A B P ABP^{}_{} is cut out and removed, edges A P \overline{AP} and B P \overline{BP} are joined, and the figure is then creased along segments C P \overline{CP} and D P \overline{DP} , we obtain a triangular pyramid, all four of whose faces are isosceles triangles. Find the volume of this pyramid.


The answer is 594.

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1 solution

K T
Mar 13, 2020

The outer edge B C D A BCDA will form an isoscelese triangle. Let put it in the xy-plane, such that its axis of symmetry coincides with the y-axis, and its base C D CD with the x-axis. It has vertices with these coordinates:

  • C will be at v 1 = ( 6 3 , 0 , 0 ) \vec{v_1}=(-6\sqrt{3},0,0)
  • D will be at v 2 = ( 6 3 , 0 , 0 ) \vec{v_2}=(6\sqrt{3},0,0)
  • A and B will be at v 3 = ( 0 , y 3 , 0 ) \vec{v_3}=(0,y_3,0)
    By symmetry, the 4th vertex v 4 \vec{v_4} must lie in the y z yz -plane, so

  • P will be at v 4 = ( 0 , y 4 , z 4 ) \vec{v_4}=(0,y_4,z_4) .

Since d ( A , D ) = 13 3 = v 3 v 1 = ( 6 3 , y 3 , 0 ) = 108 + y 3 2 d(A,D)= 13\sqrt{3}=|v_3-v_1|=|( 6\sqrt{3},y_3,0)| =\sqrt{108+y_3^2} we infer that y 3 = ± 399 y_3=\pm \sqrt{399} . Let's choose the positive one: y 3 = 399 y_3= \sqrt{399}

v 4 \vec{v_4} is equidistant to each of the other vertices. This distance (let's name it d d ) is half a diagonal in the original plan, which is d = 1 2 ( 13 3 ) 2 + ( 12 3 ) 2 = 1 2 939 d=\frac{1}{2} \sqrt{(13\sqrt{3})^2+ (12\sqrt{3})^2}=\frac{1}{2}\sqrt{939}

Now express the squared distance to each other vertex as d 14 2 = d 24 2 = 108 + y 4 2 + z 4 2 = d 2 d_{14}^2=d_{24}^2=108+y_4^2+z_4^2=d^2 d 34 2 = ( y 4 y 3 ) 2 + z 4 2 = d 2 d_{34}^2=(y_4-y_3)^2+z_4^2=d^2

Setting these equal we get 108 + y 4 2 ( y 4 y 3 ) 2 = 0 108+y_4^2- (y_4-y_3)^2=0 , which simplifies to y 4 = y 3 / 2 54 / y 3 y_4 = y_3/2-54/ y_3 . Using the known value for y 3 y_3 we get y 4 = 291 798 399 y_4=\frac{291}{798}\sqrt{399}

Finally, using z 4 2 = d 2 ( y 4 y 3 ) 2 z_4^2=d^2- (y_4-y_3)^2 and filling in the known values, we find z 4 = 99 133 z_4=\frac{99}{\sqrt{133}}

Numerically we have the following approximations, which makes it easier to check for mistakes:
v 1 = ( 10.39 , 0 , 0 ) , v 2 = ( 10.39 , 0 , 0 ) , v 3 = ( 0 , 19.97 , 0 ) , v 4 = ( 0 , 7.284 , 8.584 ) \vec{v_1}=(-10.39,0,0), \vec{v_2}=(10.39,0,0), \vec{v_3}=(0,19.97,0), \vec{v_4}=(0,7.284, 8.584)
d 12 = 20.78 , d 13 = d 23 = 22.52 , d 14 = d 24 = 15.32 , d 34 = 15.32 d_{12}=20.78, d_{13}=d_{23}=22.52, d_{14}=d_{24}=15.32, d_{34}=15.32

The volume of the piramid is given by V = 1 3 A h = 1 3 x 2 y 3 z 4 V=\frac{1}{3}Ah= \frac{1}{3} x_2y_3z_4 = 1 3 6 3 399 99 133 =\frac{1}{3} 6\sqrt{3} \sqrt{399} \frac{99}{\sqrt{133}} V = 594 V=\boxed{594}

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