Altitude Ratio

Geometry Level 4

A B C ABC is a triangle with a right angle at A A . M M and N N are points on B C BC such that A M AM is the altitude, and A N AN is the angle bisector of B A C \angle BAC . If C N N B = 21 \frac {CN} {NB} = 21 , what is C M M B \frac {CM} {MB} ?


The answer is 441.

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8 solutions

Sowmitra Das
May 20, 2014

Since, in A B C \bigtriangleup ABC , the angular-bisector of A \angle A meets B C BC at N N , from the Angle-Bisector Theorem, we have, C N N B = A C A B = 15 \frac{CN}{NB}=\frac{AC}{AB}=15 .

Again, since, A = 9 0 \angle A=90^\circ and A M B C AM\perp BC , we have, A M C A M B \bigtriangleup AMC\sim\bigtriangleup AMB .

So, C M A M = A M M B = A C A B = 15 \frac{CM}{AM}=\frac{AM}{MB}=\frac{AC}{AB}=15

\Rightarrow C M = 15. A M CM=15.AM , and, M B = A M 15 MB=\frac{AM}{15} .

Therefore, C M M B = 15. A M A M 15 = 1 5 2 = 225 \frac{CM}{MB}=\frac{15.AM}{\frac{AM}{15}}=15^2=225

If you are unfamiliar with the Angle-Bisector Theorem, you should read Worked Example 3 .

Calvin Lin Staff - 7 years ago
Alan Zhang
May 20, 2014

From Angle Bisector Theorem, we know that A B N B = A C C N \frac{AB}{NB}=\frac{AC}{CN} . This can be rearranged as A C A B = C N N B = 15 \frac{AC}{AB}=\frac{CN}{NB}=15 . Because AM is an altitude drawn within a right triangle, we know that A B C M B A M A C \bigtriangleup ABC \sim \bigtriangleup MBA \sim \bigtriangleup MAC . We notice that M B A \bigtriangleup MBA and M A C \bigtriangleup MAC share A M AM so we can relate C M CM and M B MB with the previous proportion since the triangles are similar. C M M A = A M M B = 15 \frac{CM}{MA}=\frac{AM}{MB}=15 . From this, we get C M M B = 225 \frac{CM}{MB}=225 .

Jonathan David
May 20, 2014

It's clear that angles A A and B B are acute angles. Let C N = 15 x CN = 15x and B N = x BN = x , where x x is a positive real number.

Using Sine Rule on Δ A N B \Delta ANB , we have sin B A N B N = sin B A N sin B A N x = sin B A N sin B A N sin B = x A N \frac{\sin \angle BAN}{BN} = \frac{\sin \angle B}{AN} \Rightarrow \frac{\sin \angle BAN}{x} = \frac{\sin \angle B}{AN} \Rightarrow \frac{\sin \angle BAN}{\sin \angle B} = \frac{x}{AN}

Similarly, on Δ A N C \Delta ANC , we have sin C A N C N = sin C A N sin C A N 15 x = sin C A N sin C A N 15 sin C = x A N \frac{\sin \angle CAN}{CN} = \frac{\sin \angle C}{AN} \Rightarrow \frac{\sin \angle CAN}{15x} = \frac{\sin \angle C}{AN} \Rightarrow \frac{\sin \angle CAN}{15 \sin \angle C} = \frac{x}{AN}

Using the fact that the sine of an angle equals the cosine of its complement, i.e. sin ( π 2 x ) = cos x \sin (\frac{\pi}{2} - x) = \cos x , we get sin C = cos B \sin \angle C = \cos \angle B . Also, it's given that C A N = B A N sin C A N = sin B A N \angle CAN = \angle BAN \Rightarrow \sin \angle CAN = \sin \angle BAN , from the angle bisector defintion. Hence, sin C A N 15 cos B = x A N \frac{\sin \angle CAN}{15 \cos \angle B} = \frac{x}{AN} . Equating the terms equal to x A N \frac{x}{AN} ,

sin B = 15 cos B tan B = 15 \sin \angle B = 15 \cos \angle B \Rightarrow \tan \angle B = 15

Now, it's given that A M AM is perpendicular to B C BC . Then, it's clear that Δ A M B \Delta AMB and Δ A M C \Delta AMC are right triangles with right angle at M M .

Thus, tan C = A M C M \tan \angle C = \frac{AM}{CM} and tan B = A M B M \tan \angle B = \frac{AM}{BM} .

Thus, it suffices to find the value of tan B tan C \displaystyle \frac{\tan \angle B}{\tan \angle C} , since it's equivalent to C M M B \displaystyle \frac{CM}{MB} .

We use the property tan ( π 2 x ) = cot x = 1 tan x \tan (\frac{\pi}{2} - x) = \cot x = \frac{1}{\tan x} . Thus, tan B tan C = tan 2 B \frac{\tan \angle B}{\tan \angle C} = \tan^2 \angle B .

tan B = 15 tan 2 B = 225 \tan \angle B = 15 \Rightarrow \tan^2 \angle B = \boxed{225}

Frank Fazekas
May 20, 2014

From the Angle Bisector Theorem, CA/AB=15. Without loss of generality, assume that AB=1 and AC=15 to make computations simpler. Then BC=sqrt226. Let x=BM and y=AM. Then CM=sqrt226-x. From the Pythagorean Theorem, x^2+y^2=1 and y^2+(sqrt226-x)^2=225. Solving for x and y, we find the answer to be 225.

Akbarali Surani
May 20, 2014

using sine rule, CN/sin(<CAN)=AN/sin(C)-----(1) BN/sin(<NAB)=AN/sin(B)-----(2) but <CAN=<NAB=45 <B+<C=90 so sinC=sin(90-B)=cosB--------(3) CN/BN=15--------(4) from (1),(2),(3) and (4), tanB=15

now let <CAM=x <MAB=90-x therefore <B=x (since <MAB+<AMB+<B=180) using sine rule, CM/sinx=AM/sinC BM/sin(90-x)=AM/sinB on solving, we get CM/BM=(sinB.sinx)/(sinC.cosx)=tan^2(B)=(15)^2=225

Emanuel Perez
May 20, 2014

Let CN=15y and BN=y. Let AM=h. By the AngleBisector Theorem, we can let AC=15x and AB=x. By the Phytagorean Theorem: (15x)^2+x^2=(16y)^2 => 256/226=(x/y)^2. Because (AC) (AB)/2=(BC) h/2 (area of triangle), h=15/16 (x^2 y). By Phytagorean Theorem: (CM)/(MB)=sqrt((AC)^2-(AM)^2)/sqrt((AB)^2-(AM)^2)=sqrt(225x^2-(15/16 x^2/y)^2)/sqrt(x^2-(15/16 x^2/y)^2). Factoring it an x^2 => sqrt(225-225/256 (x/y)^2)/sqrt(1-225/256 (x/y)^2). Plugging in for (x/y)^2 gets you that the ratio is 225.

Mursalin Habib
Dec 14, 2013

As the tags suggest, we'll need the angle bisector theorem , concept of similar figures, triangle properties and ... geometry (duh!).

Whenever you see a problem with angle bisectors of a triangle and ratios, your first approach should be the angle bisector theorem. This approach works (almost) all the time. So let's see what happens when we use the angle bisector theorem here.

alt text alt text

Since A N AN is the the bisector of B A C \angle BAC , C A B A = C N N B = 21 \frac{CA}{BA}=\frac{CN}{NB}=21 ( 1 ) \cdots (1) .

A little bit of angle chasing reveals to us that all the right triangles A B C \triangle ABC , A B M \triangle ABM and A C M \triangle ACM , are similar to each other. That means:

C A B A = C M A M \frac{CA}{BA}=\frac{CM}{AM} ( 2 ) \cdots (2) [comparing A B C \triangle ABC and A C M \triangle ACM ]

C A B A = A M M B \frac{CA}{BA}=\frac{AM}{MB} ( 3 ) \cdots (3) [comparing A B C \triangle ABC and A B M \triangle ABM ]

Multiply ( 2 ) (2) and ( 3 ) (3) to get ( C A B A ) 2 = C M M B {(\frac{CA}{BA})}^2=\frac{CM}{MB} . From ( 1 ) (1) , C A B A = 21 \frac{CA}{BA}=21 .

So, C M M B = 2 1 2 = 441 \frac{CM}{MB}=21^2=\boxed{441} and we're done!

well explained!!

Aabhas Mathur - 7 years, 6 months ago

did the same way. didn't think of similarity, just it was a right triangle, thought of trigonometric ratios for comparing.

Anirban Ghosh - 7 years, 3 months ago
Daniel Chiu
Dec 14, 2013

By the angle bisector theorem, C N N B = C A A B = 21 \dfrac{CN}{NB}=\dfrac{CA}{AB}=21 Then, by similar triangles, C M M B = C M M A A M M B = C A A B C A A B = 21 21 = 441 \dfrac{CM}{MB}=\dfrac{CM}{MA}\cdot\dfrac{AM}{MB}=\dfrac{CA}{AB}\cdot\dfrac{CA}{AB}=21\cdot 21=\boxed{441}

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